Alcohol

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings were held by officials of the Home Office with (1) the Royal College of Physicians, (2) the Institute of Alcohol Studies, (3) Alcohol Concern, (4) the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, (5) the Scotch Whisky Association, (6) the British Beer & Pub Association, (7) the Portman Group, (8) Drinkaware, and (9) any individual drinks company, over the past six months.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Home Office officials have meetings with a wide variety of partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	Proposals in the Government's Alcohol Strategy, which were considered as part of a public consultation that commenced on 28 November 2012 and closed on 6 February 2013, included a series of roadshow events to discuss all aspects of the strategy. It also included technical consultation groups convened to discuss mandatory licence conditions, reducing regulations, and health as a licensing objective linked to cumulative impact.
	These events have been attended by a wide range of partners and interested parties, including representatives of the drinks industry, trade associations for the drinks industry, and health bodies.

Alcohol: Rehabilitation Centres

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support, or are aware of plans to support, the siting of alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation centres (1) in residential areas, and (2) near schools.

Earl Howe: From April 2013, upper tier and unitary local authorities have received a ring-fenced public health grant. This includes funding for alcohol misuse prevention and treatment. Local authorities have the responsibility for commissioning alcohol treatment services based on local needs.
	The siting of alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation centres in a local area will need to be in accord with local planning policies and determined in accord with local authority planning procedures.

Armed Forces: Covenant

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the current implementation of the military covenant in Northern Ireland.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they sought the views of the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of the military covenant.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 11 February (WA 137), what meetings have taken place between Ministers of the United Kingdom Government and Northern Ireland Executive Ministers and political parties to discuss how the military covenant can be more fully extended to Northern Ireland and when and with whom such meetings occurred.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken following the failure of the Northern Ireland Executive to provide its views in the production of the Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report 2012.

Lord Astor of Hever: The Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office (Mike Penning) chaired a round table discussion with service charities and the Commander 38 Brigade and officials from the Ministry of Defence on 22 January 2013 on how the Armed Forces covenant is operating in Northern Ireland.
	Our assessment is that covenant provision in Northern Ireland is good and the Armed Forces value the public services provided by the various Northern Ireland Executive departments.
	More than 90 per cent of the covenant measures currently in place or in the process of being implemented apply fully in Northern Ireland. There is good access to healthcare and housing and there are some bespoke support mechanisms for Northern Ireland, such as the Aftercare Service, which looks after former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Royal Irish Home Service Regiment.
	My right honourable friend the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans together with a representative from the Northern Ireland Office participated in the DUP opposition day debate on the covenant in the other place on 21 November 2012, (Official Report, cols. 640-679).
	The following table sets out the recent discussions that have been held by Ministers of State at the Northern Ireland Office (MOSNI) as part of a continuing dialogue on Armed Forces covenant issues.
	
		
			 Date Minister Discussion with 
			 5 December 2012 MOSNI The hon Member for Lagan Valley, DUP 
			 10 December 2012 MOSNI The hon Member for Belfast South, SDLP 
			 18 December 2012 MOSNI David Ford MLA, Minister of Justice, 
			 9 January 2013 The Prime Minister & MOSNI Hon Members representing the Democratic Unionist Party 
			 7 February 2013 MOSNI Billy Hutchinson, Progressive Unionist Party 
			 13 February 2013 MOSNI Martin McGuinness MLA, deputy First Minister 
			 13 February 2013 MOSNI Edwin Poots MLA, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety 
			 26 February 2013 MOSNI Mike Nesbitt MLA, Ulster Unionist Party 
		
	
	My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans visited Northern Ireland recently where he had a further meeting with my honourable friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland and others on covenant business.
	Officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Northern Ireland Office meet regularly to discuss issues affecting the Armed Forces community and engage when necessary with Northern Ireland Executive departmental officials to ensure that the needs of our serving and former personnel and their families' needs are met.
	We are keen to see the Armed Forces covenant implemented as fully as possible and the Defence Secretary sought the views of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive on 19 June 2012. No written response was received. We hope that they will feel able to contribute to the 2013 annual report.

Armed Forces: Defence Budget

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the 10 programmes from which the largest share of the forecast Ministry of Defence underspend for 2012-13 have emerged.

Lord Astor of Hever: Our forecast underspend in 2012-13 reflects three factors. First, we did not need to draw on our departmental unallocated provision, a sum prudently set aside as a provision against the risk of unforeseen events increasing the pressure on the defence budget. Secondly, as our plans on delivering commitments made in the Strategic Defence and Security Review have matured, we have reported expenditure between years to reflect our better understanding of when costs will be incurred. Thirdly, we have spent less in some areas than originally planned, for example as a result of efficiencies and successful commercial negotiations.

Armed Forces: Defence Budget

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any Ministry of Defence underspend in the financial year 2012-13 will be rolled forward in total to be used in the Ministry of Defence during 2013-14.

Lord Astor of Hever: The Treasury has agreed to exceptional budget flexibility for the Ministry of Defence and has agreed that the full amount of the underspend against the core budget in 2012-13 can be carried forward to subsequent years. Part of the underspend will be allocated to 2013-14 and part to 2014-15.

Armed Forces: Interpreters

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the safety of Afghan interpreters who have worked with British forces after the United Kingdom withdraws from Afghanistan; and what steps they will take to support those interpreters.

Lord Astor of Hever: We take our responsibility for all locally engaged (LE) staff, including interpreters, very seriously and have put measures in place to reduce and manage the risks that they face. We follow an agreed cross-government policy for cases of intimidation or injury. The evidence that we have does not, so far, indicate widespread intimidation of our LE staff, but we continue to monitor the situation.
	As the Foreign Secretary has said, people who have put their life on the line for the United Kingdom will not be abandoned. The Government are conducting a review of their severance policy towards LE staff, as our presence in Afghanistan decreases and we hand security responsibility over to Afghan partners.

Armed Forces: Procurement

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the last savings taken from the Ministry of Defence by HM Treasury have affected the procurement baseline from which the 1% year-on-year procurement budget increase will be calculated.

Lord Astor of Hever: No.

Azerbaijan and Armenia

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent an arms race between Azerbaijan and Armenia; and whether they are alerting other governments of the risks involved.

Lord Newby: In 1992, the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), which became the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 1995, called on all participating states to introduce an embargo on deliveries of weapons and munitions to forces engaged in combat in the Nagorno-Karabakh area. The Government implement strictly this arms embargo and will issue licences for export to Armenia or Azerbaijan only where these are consistent with the terms of the OSCE embargo. We expect our OSCE partners to abide by the embargo and encourage all states to uphold their obligations under the conventional forces in Europe treaty.
	The Government continue to call on all sides to use diplomatic means to reach a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and urge them to refrain from behaviour and rhetoric which would increase tension. They strongly support the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to mediate negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Bahrain

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal by Sir Nigel Rodley, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and former member of the Bassiouni International Commission of Inquiry into violations of human rights in Bahrain, that there should be a new international commission of inquiry to look into fresh allegations of torture in Bahrain, to include forensic pathologists and forensic psychiatrists.

Baroness Warsi: We have raised our human rights concerns with the Bahraini Government, including about allegations of torture and mistreatment of prisoners.
	The Government's policy on torture is very clear. We stand firmly against torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. We do not condone it, nor do we ask others to do it on our behalf. We have consistently made clear our absolute opposition to such behaviour and our determination to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs.
	The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), visited Bahrain on 11-12 March and discussed with the Ministers for the Interior, Justice and Human Rights, the Bahraini Government's reform programmed and where the UK could provide further practical assistance in implementation. He reiterated our call for due process to be carefully and transparently followed in cases of detention or arrest. He also pressed that investigations into allegations of human rights violations by officials must be carried out effectively, with those found guilty given sentences that are proportionate to the convictions.
	We have called for full compliance of all the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and expect the authorities to continue reviewing these.
	We respect Sir Nigel Rodney's views, and agree with him that any allegations of torture need to be investigated. A team of technical experts from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Bahrain in December and reported good co-operation from across the Bahraini Government. In addition, we await with interest the findings of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, who is due to visit Bahrain in May.

Bank of England

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Governor and the Bank of England were consulted about and supported their proposals to support lending for the purchase of residential properties.

Lord Deighton: At Budget 2013, the Government announced the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee, which will be open from January 2014. The scheme is a temporary intervention designed to address the sharp decline in the availability of high loan-to-value lending in the wake of the financial crisis.
	HM Treasury discusses policy developments with the Bank of England on a regular basis, through both formal and informal channels. Specifically, the Chancellor confirmed at the Treasury Select Committee hearing on 26 March that he had discussed the Financial Policy Committee review element of the scheme with the Governor of the Bank of England in advance of the Budget.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to investigate the management of conflicts of interest by custodian banks, particularly in respect of securities lending.

Lord Deighton: Securities lending is an activity covered by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). There is currently a review of MiFID taking place. One of the changes that the review will make is to upgrade custody from its present status as an ancillary service to a full investment service, and those involved in custody will be subject to conflict rules.
	Within the UK, custodian banks are regulated, and they are subject to conflict rules. Furthermore, the newly formed Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will take a close interest in wholesale conduct of which conflicts management is a key component.

Banking

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Deighton on 18 March (WA 95-6) about banking, whether they will now answer the Questions asked.

Lord Deighton: I refer you to my previous Parliamentary Written Answers of 18 March 2013.
	On 27 March the interim Financial Policy Committee (FPC) issued the statement from its policy meeting of 19 March. The interim FPC statement includes the following recommendation:
	"1. The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) should assess current capital adequacy using the Basel III definition of equity capital, but after: (i) making deductions from currently-stated capital to reflect an assessment of expected future losses and a realistic assessment of future costs of conduct redress; and (ii) adjusting for a more prudent calculation of risk weights.
	2. The PRA should take steps to ensure that, by the end of 2013, major UK banks and building societies hold capital resources equivalent to at least 7% of their risk-weighted assets, as assessed on the basis described in Recommendation 1. Relative to that benchmark, major UK banks and building societies in aggregate currently have a shortfall in capital of around £25 billion".
	Since the financial crisis the British banking sector has strengthened its capital and liquidity position, and is continuing do so. Individual institutions have a continuing dialogue with their regulator as a matter of course.
	In its 27 March statement the FPC recommends that the PRA should ensure that banks and building societies meet the FPC's recommendations concerning bank capital "by issuing new capital or restructuring balance sheets in a way that does not hinder lending to the economy".

Banking: Bonuses

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 18 March (WA 96) concerning bankers' bonuses, what discussions they have had with the European Commission and the governments of other member states about the appropriateness of using Article 53(1) as the legal basis for the capital requirements directive IV; and whether they are now aware of any proposals being considered in the European Parliament to extend the scheme to fund managers.

Lord Deighton: The Government continue to assess the legal implications of the proposal to limit bonuses under the capital requirements directive IV.
	The Government are aware that the European Parliament is considering a similar cap on fund managers' pay as part of negotiations on the undertakings for collective investments in transferable securities directive V.

Banks: Bank of Ireland

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Bank of Ireland provides financial services for the Post Office; and, if so, whether the Bank of Ireland is registered in the Republic of Ireland or a separate Bank of Ireland company is registered in the United Kingdom.

Lord Deighton: The Bank of Ireland (UK) plc is a subsidiary of the Bank of Ireland and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. The Bank of Ireland (UK) plc is in partnership with the Post Office, offering a number of financial service products.

Banks: Cyprus

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of whether the recent troika agreement with Cyprus will result in deductions from deposits in any Cypriot banks located in the United Kingdom.

Lord Deighton: The recent troika agreement with Cyprus will not result in any deductions from customer deposits in any Cypriot bank located in the United Kingdom. The customer deposits of the Laiki UK branch were transferred to Bank of Cyprus UK, a UK subsidiary, on 2 April 2013.

Banks: Funding for Lending Scheme

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have estimated the profit benefit to banks of the Funding for Lending scheme as a result of subsidising the cost of borrowing by banks.

Lord Deighton: The benefit to banks from the FLS will depend on a range of factors including how much funding they draw down from the scheme, the cost of that funding, and the price at which they lend under the scheme.
	The scheme is designed to incentivise higher net lending by making the cost of funding dependent on their lending performance over the period from 1 August 2012 to 31 January 2014. Banks that maintain or expand their net lending over this period will be able to borrow more cheaply under the scheme compared with banks whose net lending declines over the same period. However, the overall fee that banks will pay will not be set until their lending outturns are known, after the end of the drawdown window.

Benefits

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they will give to families with a stay-at-home parent.

Lord Deighton: The Government provide a number of benefits and services targeted at families with children, some of which are universal, such as 15 free hours a week early education for three and four year-olds and some of which are targeted on those on lower incomes, such as the child tax credit, free school meals, Healthy Start and-from September 2013-the new free early education entitlement for two year-olds.
	For further information please visit www.gov.uk.

Benefits

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what benefits are available to 18 year olds who have left school or college and have no employment or other sources of income; and how entitlement for that group has changed in the past five years.

Lord Freud: Entitlement to benefits is dependent upon individual circumstances and subject to the normal rules and conditions. Jobseeker's allowance is the main benefit to support 18 year-olds who have left school or college and have no employment or other sources of income to help them while they look for work. Entitlement conditions for this group have not changed in the past five years. Young people with a health condition or disability have been able to claim employment and support allowance instead of incapacity benefit and income support since October 2008. From 1 May 2012 the provision which allowed young people to claim contributory employment and support allowance without having paid any national insurance contributions was abolished. Young people now qualify in the same way as all other claimants.

Benefits

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 5 March (WA 397-8), what representations they have received from the Mayor of London, separately from the London Assembly, specifically on the subject of the impact of changes to welfare benefits on the people of London.

Lord Freud: We are not aware of any representations received in the past year from the Mayor of London, separately from the London Assembly, on the impact of changes to welfare benefits on the people of London.

Benefits

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are giving to local authorities on whether emergency payments to families under welfare assistance schemes should or may be provided in the form of welfare stamps or vouchers instead of cash; whether the use of such stamps or vouchers should be restricted to food and other items deemed to be essential; if so, what items should be considered as essential; and whether a local authority's duty to provide emergency support for destitute families can be fulfilled by referring them to food banks and other charities.

Lord Freud: Prior to the abolition of parts of the discretionary social fund and the introduction of the new arrangements, the Department for Work and Pensions consulted extensively with local authorities and the devolved Administrations and it ran two series of regional workshops throughout 2012. The department has also provided a wide range of data on its social fund reform website, including application and award figures since 2005-06, demographic information, fact sheets, annual reports, social fund decision-maker guidance and frequently asked questions.
	It is for local authorities to decide how they design and operate their welfare assistance schemes and it is for local authorities to satisfy themselves that the measures they take meet their statutory obligations. The department has no role in providing guidance to local authorities about these schemes and has no say in how they are run.
	Local authorities are well aware of their obligations and duties to their citizens and the need to be transparent about that. To enhance accountability to the public, the Department for Communities and Local Government has issued a code of recommended practice for local authorities on data transparency.

Building Regulations

Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that materials used for cavity wall insulation in buildings on flood plains reduce the risk of waterlog and avoid the additional expenses involved in removing unsuitable materials after flood events; and whether they are taking steps to ensure that technicians are trained to deal with those problems.

Lord Newby: The conservation of energy and power and resistance to moisture aspects of insulation are covered by building regulations. Building regulations do not address flood resilience so cannot require that insulation is unaffected by flood water. However, guidance on types of insulation to be used in flood-risk areas is included in Improving the Flood Performance of New Buildings: Flood Resilient Construction, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	The Green Deal code of practice places an obligation on Green Deal providers to ensure that any materials installed do not increase the risk of damage to the building fabric or the health of the occupants. Additionally, Green Deal approved installers are specifically trained and certificated for installing cavity wall insulation and have to install products, that are also certificated, in accordance with the product specification and the appropriate British Standard.

Burma

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of religious freedoms in Burma.

Lord Newby: We remain concerned by the apparent systematic destruction of mosques during the violence in Rakhine state in 2012. More recently mosques were attacked during the recent unrest in central Burma in late March. We also note reports of the destruction of places of worship in Kachin state during the ongoing conflict and continued restrictions on freedom of worship in Chin state.
	The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), visited Rakhine state during his visit to Burma in December 2012 and pressed the Burmese Government to prevent human rights abuses. We continue to encourage the Burmese Government to issue a formal invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion and Belief to visit Burma and assess the situation.
	We continue to call on the Burmese authorities to sign up to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which includes commitments on protecting religious freedoms. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised this issue with the Burmese Foreign Minister during his visit to the UK in February. Subsequent to this discussion, officials met the Burmese Foreign Minister on 15 February and were informed that the Burmese Government had been advised by the Burmese National Human Rights Council on 10 December that they should consider ratifying the ICCPR. We will continue to follow developments on this issue closely.

Burma

Baroness Nye: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress on meeting the benchmarks of (1) the ending of conflict in Burma, (2) improved humanitarian assistance, in particular in Kachin and along the eastern border, and (3) addressing the status and wellbeing of the Rohingyas, as set by the European Union Council conclusions on 26 April 2012; and whether they will vote in favour of the lifting of sanctions against Burma at the meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council on 22 April.

Baroness Warsi: In April 2012, the EU suspended all sanctions on Burma, with the exception of the arms embargo and the restrictions on equipment which could be used for internal repression. This was in recognition of the positive progress against EU benchmarks as laid out in Council Conclusions of January 2012. In addition, the EU Council Conclusions of 23 April 2012 committed to respond positively to further progress and set out clearly that the EU expected the unconditional release of remaining political prisoners and looked forward to the end of conflict and substantially improved access for humanitarian assistance-in particular in Kachin-as well as to addressing the status and improving the welfare of the Rohingya.
	There has been further progress. Many more political prisoners have been released. Despite an escalation in the conflict in Kachin at the end of last year, tentative discussions between the Government and ethnic groups are continuing. We hope that these discussions, along with the Burmese Government's existing reconciliation efforts, will be successful. There have also been some improvements in humanitarian access to conflict areas. However, some new issues have arisen since last April. The outbreaks of violence in Rakhine State have led to a grave humanitarian situation, and the recent violence in Meiktila points to a troubling trend. We are seriously concerned about persecution of minority religions. The Government in Napyidaw need to make further progress on the rule of law, transparency and accountability.
	It is in this wider context that the EU will review sanctions on Burma. The Foreign Affairs Council's decision on 22 April will be a marker for both how far Burma has come and where challenges remain.
	Whatever the outcome of the April decision, which is contingent on securing unanimity, we want the EU to strengthen its future engagement with Burma, to catalyse deeper, irreversible reform and to use its collective influence for forward-looking collaboration with Burma on human rights, responsible trade, development, electoral and constitutional reform. We will argue for an EU policy framework which sets out how we will both work with the Burmese Government and encourage them to address the many challenges that they face.

Charities

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 25 March (WA 193), how many charities have incurred a civil penalty in each of the last five years.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Companies House cannot distinguish those companies which are charities from those which are not. Therefore, it cannot provide figures on how many charities have incurred a civil penalty in each of the last five years.

Children: Looked-after Children

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that each looked-after child who is not enrolled at a mainstream provider is allocated pupil premium support, in line with each child's personal education plan or statement.

Lord Nash: The pupil premium is allocated for children in reception to year 11 year groups who have been looked after continuously for at least six months. In the financial year 2012-13, the premium was allocated at a rate of £623 per pupil. The pupil premium will increase to £900 per pupil in the financial year 2013-14.
	Pupil premium grant for eligible looked after children in non-mainstream provision can be allocated to the setting where the child is being educated or held by the local authority to spend specifically on additional educational support to raise the pupil's standard of attainment.
	The Pupil Premium Conditions of Grant 2012-13 document states that the local authority must consult non-mainstream settings about how the amount held by the authority should be used. The relevant local authority's Virtual School Head or Looked After Children Education Service must also be consulted on how the amount for looked after children is to be spent to support these pupils in accordance with a child's personal education plan (PEP).
	In addition, local authorities are required to certify that they have passed on the correct amount of funding to schools or, where funding has been spent centrally, that it has been spent in line with the conditions of grant.

Children: Sexual Abuse and Exploitation

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 19 March (WA 131) and 26 March (WA 215), what particular problems have been identified during the period since the United Kingdom signed the European Convention on the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in May 2008 which need to be addressed before the Convention can be ratified.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Before ratification of any convention it is important to establish what legal, administrative and practical arrangements may be needed to ensure full compliance with provisions within the convention. Officials are currently leading the work to establish the steps that would be required to ratify and implement the convention. This work needs to be further progressed before any further details of what barriers, if any, pertain to this process.

Cities: Economic Development

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 26 March (HL5949), whether the "cities and their surrounding functional economic areas as key drivers of national growth" referred to in that answer encompass (1) Northumberland, (2) West Cumbria (Barrow, Copeland and Allerdale), (3) north Lancashire and south Cumbria (Lancaster and South Lakeland), (4) urban East Lancashire (Blackburn, Hyndburn, Rossendale, Burnley and Pendle), (5) West Lancashire (Blackpool, Fylde, Wyre and West Lancashire), and (6) Cornwall; and, if so, of which city regions they consider those areas to be a part.

Baroness Hanham: The statistics in my earlier Answer were drawn from Unlocking Growth in Cities published in December 2011 which set out the rationale and the Government's proposed approach to the city deal initiative. This dataset is not based on any concept of a city region geography. Cities are defined using primary urban areas, a definition initially adopted in the report State of the English Cities published in 2006. There are 56 such areas in England. Each is larger than an individual local authority district, there is a minimum population threshold of 125,000 and land is classified as urban according to set definitions from the Ordnance Survey. These primary urban areas incorporate the following localities among those listed in the question:
	Blackburn;Burnley;Pendle;Blackpool;Fylde; andWyre.

Cities: Economic Development

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government which parts of Lancashire are included in the functional economic area that forms part of the Lancashire bid under the wave 2 city deals programme; and what is the rationale for the boundaries of that area.

Baroness Hanham: The city deal programme focuses on cities as key drivers of national growth and wave 2 includes Preston; selected as one of the 14 cities invited to participate on the basis of having the largest population size outside of London and the eight core cities.
	Wave 2 cities have been invited to define an appropriate functional economic area on the basis of factors relevant to the nature of the single economic challenge or opportunity which is the focus of the deal and practical factors such as the relevant travel to work area taking into consideration local enterprise partnership geographies. The current deal proposals encompass the local authority areas of Preston and South Ribble district councils working with Lancashire County Council under the auspices of the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership. The Government are in detailed conversations with local partners and hope to agree the deal later this year.

Cities: Economic Development

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be the difference between the local growth deals they plan to introduce in the run-up to 2015, and the waves 1 and 2 city deals programmes; and whether the local growth deals will extend to the areas of England not already covered by city deals.

Baroness Hanham: The Government's response to Lord Heseltine's Review of Growth was clear that we will allocate funding to all local areas through a local growth deal. Local enterprise partnerships cover all of England, and all local enterprise partnership areas will get some funding, with those areas with the best offer receiving more.
	Where appropriate, local growth deals will build upon the work already undertaken for city deals.

Commonwealth Charter

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Warsi on 4 March (WS 117-8), how the principles of the Commonwealth Charter apply to the situation of the Chagossian people.

Baroness Warsi: Many Chagossians are members of the Commonwealth by holding UK, Mauritian or Seychellois nationality. The Commonwealth Charter is a clear statement of the values that all Commonwealth member states should adhere to.
	Successive Governments have expressed regret for the way the resettlement of the Chagossians was carried out in the 1960s and 1970s. This would not have met the values aspired to in the Commonwealth Charter. Because it was wrong, substantial final compensation has been paid.

Commonwealth Charter

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 11 March (WA 40), how they interpret "other grounds" in the context of Part II of the Commonwealth Charter; and whether they will be seeking to learn how the Commonwealth member states that criminalise homosexual activity also interpret those words.

Baroness Warsi: The Commonwealth Charter reflects the overarching values of the Commonwealth and the aspirations of its citizens, bringing together commitments set out in previous declarations and affirmations.
	We remain concerned by attempts of some Commonwealth states to introduce punitive laws to address homosexuality but were pleased to achieve strong language on the Commonwealth's opposition to all forms of discrimination in the charter. We want to ensure that the charter becomes a key document for holding Commonwealth members accountable to Commonwealth values and continue to encourage all Commonwealth member states to adhere to its values.

Companies Act 2006

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider that the levels of the civil penalties laid down under the Companies Act 2006 are proportionate.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The issue of civil penalties for the late filing of company accounts was carefully considered by Parliament during the passage of the Companies Act 2006. The changes to the penalty regime were the first to be introduced since the introduction of civil penalties in 1992, and the scale of penalties then in force was becoming less effective in encouraging the timely filing of accounts. The provision of up to date company information is one of the building blocks of the UK economy and the register of company information maintained by Companies House is accessed millions of times every year, striking evidence of the value placed on company information by the business community. Since the changes introduced by the Companies Act 2006, compliance rates have increased and the number of companies receiving penalties is declining. The percentage of companies now filed up to date stands at almost 99% with 94% filing on time. Therefore, I consider that the levels of civil penalties laid down under the Companies Act 2006 are appropriate.

Companies House

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 25 March (WA 194), how many businesses have incurred a civil penalty in each of the past five years.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Businesses become susceptible to a civil penalty only if they are registered as limited companies with Companies House. Companies House maintains statistics on the number of penalties incurred by limited companies and publishes them on its website. Information on the number of penalties incurred in each of the past five years can be found at: http://www.companieshouse. gov.uk/about/lateFilingPenaltiesStatistics.shtml.

Consumer Contracts

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to implement the recommendations set out by the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission in "Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts: Advice for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills", published on 19 March.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: This department welcomes the advice from the law commissions. We are considering the law commissions' recommendations and will publish the Government's response shortly.

Corporal Derek Woods and Corporal David Howes

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will institute an inquiry into the decision by the police and army not to try and effect a rescue of Corporal Derek Woods and Corporal David Howes on 19 March 1988; and whether they have learnt any lessons from the later decision by some officers to arrest suspects.

Lord Newby: There are no plans to institute an inquiry into operational decisions taken at the time of the murders of Corporal Derek Wood and Corporal David Howes.
	The arrest of suspects is a matter for the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Council Tax

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the annual council tax bill each local authority has set as the minimum to be paid by persons of working age under the council tax reduction scheme; and, in each case, how much each household of two or more adults would therefore have to pay each month.

Baroness Hanham: Information regarding the design of local schemes and the number of households affected is not held centrally. Not withstanding, I refer the noble Lord to the answer of 26 March 2013 (Official Report, Commons, col. 1073W) on the councils which have implemented schemes which promote best practice and are compliant with the transition grant.

Council Tax and Housing Benefit

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will monitor the levels of council tax and rent arrears each month following (1) the replacement of council tax benefit by the council tax reduction scheme, and (2) the introduction of the reductions in housing benefit paid to tenants of social housing where there are spare bedrooms.

Baroness Hanham: In regard to local council tax support schemes there are no plans to monitor the level of arrears each month. We will continue to monitor levels of council tax arrears generally on an annual basis. In regard to the spare room subsidy, the Department for Work and Pensions has committed to evaluating the removal of the spare room subsidy and the impact on claimants and landlords will be included in their evaluation report.

Crime: Alcohol-related Crime

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with chief constables and police and crime commissioners about addressing the causes of alcohol-related crime.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	Details of these meetings are passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and are subsequently published on the Cabinet Office website.
	Most recently, chief constables and police and crime commissioners took part in the public consultation on the Government's Alcohol Strategy that commenced on 28 November 2012 and closed on 6 February 2013. This included roadshows and technical groups, which were held alongside the more formal consultation.

Crime: Alcohol-related Crime

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of domestic violence linked to alcohol consumption.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: A review of the evidence on alcohol misuse and harm in England was produced in support of the Government's Alcohol Strategy and as part of the Department of Health's evidence to the Health Committee's inquiry into the Alcohol Strategy. The review found that alcohol-related crime is estimated to cost around £11 billion per year and suggests a strong link between alcohol use and crime, particularly violent crime including domestic violence. The latest data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show that in 2011-12 in almost half (47%) of violent incidents the victim believed the perpetrator to be under the influence of alcohol. This was highest in incidents of stranger violence (65%), followed by acquaintance violence (41%) and then domestic violence (39%).
	Department of Health written evidence to Health Select Committee July 2012 (Annex B) http://www. publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmhealth/132/132we02.htm.
	Crime Survey for England and Wales 2011-12 Nature of Crime tables: http://ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/nature-of-crime-tables--2011-12/index.html.

Crime: Alcohol-related Crime

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of alcohol consumption on levels of crime in England.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: A review of the evidence on alcohol misuse and harm in England was produced in support of the Government's alcohol strategy and as part of the Department of Health's evidence to the Health Committee's inquiry into the alcohol strategy. The review found that alcohol-related crime is estimated to cost around £11 billion per year and suggests a strong link between alcohol use and crime, particularly violent crime. The latest data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show that in 2011-12 in almost half (47%) of violent incidents the victim believed the perpetrator to be under the influence of alcohol and a fifth (20%) of all violent crime occurred in or around pubs or clubs.
	Department of Health written evidence to Health Select Committee July 2012 (Annex B) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm20l213/cmselect/cmhealth/132/132we02.htm.
	Crime Survey for England and Wales 2011-12 Nature of Crime tables: http://ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/nature-of-crime-tables--2011-12/index.html.

Cyprus

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether approval for the exploration of gas or oil in the waters off the coast of the United Kingdom Sovereign Territory in the island of Cyprus is a responsibility of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus or the Government of the United Kingdom.

Baroness Warsi: The declaration made by the Government in 1960 makes clear the UK's intention not to develop the sovereign base areas for other than military purposes.
	Exploration for oil and gas in the territorial waters of the sovereign base areas would require the consent of the relevant UK authorities.

Cyprus

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the political and financial situation in the Republic of Cyprus, they will consider a temporary recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for the purposes of direct commerce and flights.

Lord Newby: The UK does not recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This approach is in line with our international commitments.

Cyprus

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they hold any information, as a guarantor power in Cyprus, on the annual murder rate on that island between 1963 and 1974, and in each political sector for the subsequent 39 years.

Baroness Warsi: The Government do not hold any information on the annual murder rates in Cyprus.

Cyprus and Northern Cyprus

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the international proposals for a Cyprus bailout are restricted to the territory governed by the Greek Cypriot Government or whether they will apply to the Turkish Cypriot territory in Northern Cyprus.

Lord Deighton: Cyprus has officially requested financial assistance from euro area member states through the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Cyprus reached an agreement with the IMF, the European Commission and the European Central Bank on the key elements of a financial assistance programme on 25 March 2013. The programme has yet to be formally approved by the euro area-only ESM, or the IMF board.
	The northern part of Cyprus is not under the effective authority of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC). As such, banks there are not subject to RoC regulations and the economy is not directly subject to measures and taxes decided by the RoC.

Cyprus and Northern Cyprus

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) whether European Union citizens in the Republic of Cyprus can cross the border into Northern Cyprus, and (2) having crossed the border whether they can use the ATMs in Northern Cyprus.

Baroness Warsi: Cypriots and foreigners have been able to cross into north Cyprus since 2003. We are not aware of any restrictions on the use of automated teller machines in north Cyprus, but EU citizens are advised to check with their bank in the first instance.

Cyprus: Financial Assistance

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what, in real terms, will be the immediate, medium and longer-term impact through the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, of the recent £10 billion eurozone bailout to the Republic of Cyprus.

Lord Deighton: Cyprus has officially requested financial assistance from euro area member states through the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
	Cyprus reached agreement with the IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank on the key elements of a financial assistance programme on 25 March 2013. The programme has yet to be formally approved by the euro area-only ESM, or the IMF Board.
	The UK is not a member of the ESM and, therefore, has no exposure to financial assistance provided by it, either directly or indirectly through the EU budget. Further, in line with the political commitments secured by the Prime Minister, neither is there any contribution to the programme from the EU-backed European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM).

Cyprus: Financial Services

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many financial services firms incorporated and regulated in Cyprus are active in the United Kingdom.

Lord Deighton: There are 120 financial services firms incorporated and regulated in Cyprus that are active in the United Kingdom.

Czech Republic

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have had any discussions with the Government of the Czech Republic regarding the sale by the BBC of spectrum granted initially to the BBC in part to promote democracy in the Czech Republic.

Lord Newby: The Government have had no discussions with the Czech Government about the transfer of ownership of BBC Radiocom Praha. The transfer is a matter for the BBC World Service, which continues to broadcast daily on the same frequencies for a minimum of eight hours per day.

Debt

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the implications for the management of the United Kingdom economy of the views on fiscal multipliers expressed in the International Monetary Fund's recent paper The Challenge of Debt Reduction during Fiscal Consolidation.

Lord Deighton: Fiscal multipliers estimate the impact of different elements of tax and spending consolidation on GDP. The Government note the International Monetary Fund's discussion of fiscal consolidation in the March 2013 working paper The Challenge of Debt Reduction during Fiscal Consolidation. The OBR's October 2012 forecast evaluation report did not see evidence to suggest that multipliers were significantly different than estimated in the June Budget 2010 forecast. The OBR has not altered the estimated fiscal multipliers being used in its latest forecast.

Diego Garcia

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 11 March (WA 11), whether Diego Garcia has been used for rendition flights since 1 January 2010.

Baroness Warsi: The UK has not used nor has it permitted the use of Diego Garcia for rendition flights on any occasion between 1 January 2010 and the present day.

Egypt

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the state of police relations with religious minorities in Egypt and their effect on religious freedoms.

Lord Newby: Reform of the security sector was a key demand of the 25 January 2011 revolution. Since then there has been ongoing tension between the police and sections of society. We do not assess that religious minorities have been a particular aspect of this.
	However, throughout the period of transition, we have raised with the Egyptian Government the issue of respect for human rights in general and the dangers of sectarianism in particular. We have encouraged the Egyptian authorities to ensure respect for minority rights and accountability of the security forces be enshrined in the Constitution.
	The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), visited Egypt on 13-15 March and urged the Egyptian authorities to improve the human rights situation. We also have an ongoing dialogue with the Egyptian authorities on the importance of reforming the security apparatus to ensure compliance with human rights and the rule of law.
	At a wider level, my noble friend the Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Baroness Warsi, attended the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation summit in Cairo on 6 and 7 February to deliver a speech on the importance of freedom of religion or belief and tackling religious intolerance.

Electronic Communications Act 2000

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider making an order by statutory instrument under Section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 to modify legislation to enable low-impact housing notices to be served electronically.

Baroness Hanham: There are no plans to amend existing housing legislation in relation to issuing Section 8 orders under the Electronic Communications Act 2000.
	Legislation, notably the Housing Act 2004, already provides for licences and other documents, including low-impact housing notices, to be in electronic form. The Government have no intention of restricting such channels of communication.

Employer Ownership Pilot

Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, on 11 September 2012, how many of the Employer Ownership Pilot projects (1) have a funding agreement in place, (2) have received such funding, (3) have started, and (4) have been completed.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Of the 37 Employer Ownership round 1 projects announced on 11 September, 28 have a funding agreement in place and are operational. 17 have started to draw down funding. Funding for the projects is paid against actual delivery, claimed in the majority of cases on a quarterly cycle. Therefore, in some cases, projects have started to deliver but have not yet made their first claim. Individual grant offer letters set out the timetable for payments against milestones agreed with each grant recipient.
	None of the projects has yet been completed. Round 1 projects are in their early stages and will receive funding over a number of years.

Employment: Jobcentre Plus

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Freud on 25 March (Official Report, col. 944), how many Jobcentre Plus offices in England, Scotland and Wales have opened on a Sunday for the purpose of calling claimants in for interview during the latest year for which figures are available.

Lord Freud: Three jobcentres have opened on a Sunday in the past year. Saltcoats Jobcentre on 24 February 2013 and 3 March 2013. Dunfermline Jobcentre on 20 January 2013 and Harrogate Jobcentre on 10 March 2013.

Employment: Jobcentre Plus

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Ministers have visited any Jobcentre Plus offices during Sunday openings since June 2010.

Lord Freud: No.

Employment: Jobcentre Plus

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Jobcentre Plus offices currently operate targets and league tables relating to the extent to which their staff sanction jobseekers.

Lord Freud: None, Jobcentres have two nationally set targets for off flows from benefits and reducing losses in monetary fraud and error.

Employment: Jobcentre Plus

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they propose to take in respect of Jobcentre Plus district managers who allow, or have allowed, the operation of targets and league tables relating to the extent to which staff at Jobcentre Plus offices sanction jobseekers.

Lord Freud: I refer you to the comments made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in the House on Friday 22 March. "There are no targets for sanctions. There will be no targets. Anybody caught imposing a target will be dealt with. That is absolutely clear. That message has already gone out. It went out before on innumerable occasions". (Official Report, col. 1194, 22 March 2013).

Employment: Women

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the effectiveness of United Kingdom law and other measures in combating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation of women in the workplace.

Lord Newby: Women make up half the workforce in Britain but they are disproportionately underrepresented in senior positions. If we want to harness the full potential of this country, we need to remedy this imbalance and waste of talent.
	The Government are therefore taking forward a number of non-legislative measures to tackle discrimination against women in the workplace and to help drive growth.
	For example, our voluntary approach to increasing the number of women on boards has seen the biggest ever jump in the past year to 17.3%. Our aim is that at least half of the appointments to public boards by 2015 should be women.
	We have also launched a voluntary initiative on gender equality transparency called "Think Act Report" that asks private and voluntary sector employers to make things fairer for women at work through greater transparency on pay and other workplace issues. Over 60 leading firms have signed up covering over a million employees.
	Where individual women do, however, need protection against cases of discrimination, harassment and victimisation in the workplace, the Equality Act 2010, implemented by this Government, provides some of Europe's strongest workplace anti-discrimination legislation.
	Where appropriate, we are ready to strengthen this protection further. For example, we are providing employment tribunals with the power to require employers who lose an equal pay case to carry out a pay audit.
	The Government Equalities Office is committed to reviewing the Equality Act 2010 within five years of its introduction as part of a post implementation review. This review will assess whether the Act, including its employment provisions, is working as intended,
	In addition, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has a role under Section 11 of the Equality Act 2006 to monitor the effectiveness of equality legislation.

EU: Cyprus

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they supported the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund in requiring the Republic of Cyprus to apply a levy on amounts covered by the deposit guarantee scheme operating in that country as a condition for supporting its refinancing.

Lord Deighton: Cyprus has officially requested financial assistance from euro area member states through the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Cyprus reached agreement with the IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank on the key elements of a financial assistance programme on 25 March 2013.
	The UK was not party to the discussions between Cyprus and the euro area on the financial assistance package or the levy that had been proposed as part of the measures announced on 16 March.
	The UK Government welcome the Cypriot Government's commitment that the deposit guarantee will be respected and those with under €100,000 will not lose out.

EU: Cyprus

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the conditions under which the Republic of Cyprus was admitted to (1) the European Union, and (2) the eurozone, on the current political and financial situation in that country; and whether they will seek within the European Union to review the impact of those decisions on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus during the intervening period.

Lord Newby: The Government have made no such assessment and will not be seeking a review of the impact of either decision.

Finance: Early and Prompt Payment Schemes

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on United Kingdom gross domestic product resulting from prompt payment.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Cash flow difficulties arising from late payment affect the viability of many small and medium-sized businesses and as such any improvement would have an impact on GDP, although data are not available to quantify this.
	Recent research by Experian indicates that the average amount of time businesses are taking to settle invoices is falling, from 25.7 days after agreed terms in 2011 to 24.7 days in 2012. This is positive for the economy, but there is still scope for considerable improvement, which the Government have sought to push for by encouraging companies to sign up to the Prompt Payment Code.

Finance: Investment

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 11 March (WA 17) about public investment forecasts, whether they will arrange for the information requested to be published in the Official Report.

Lord Deighton: The information requested is provided in the table below.
	
		
			  Public Sector Net Investment (% GDP) 
			 1967-68 7.3 
			 1968-69 6.5 
			 1969-70 6.0 
			 1970-71 6.2 
			 1971-72 5.3 
			 1972-73 4.9 
			 1973-74 5.2 
			 1974-75 5.6 
			 1975-76 5.6 
			 1976-77 4.4 
			 1977-78 3.0 
			 1978-79 2.5 
			 1979-80 2.3 
			 1980-81 1.9 
			 1981-82 1.0 
			 1982-83 1.6 
			 1983-84 1.8 
			 1984-85 1.6 
			 1985-86 1.2 
			 1986-87 0.7 
			 1987-88 0.6 
			 1988-89 0.3 
			 1989-90 1.2 
			 1990-91 1.3 
			 1991-92 1.8 
			 1992-93 1.8 
			 1993-94 1.4 
			 1994-95 1.4 
			 1995-96 1.4 
			 1996-97 0.7 
			 1997-98 0.6 
			 1998-99 0.7 
			 1999-00 0.6 
			 2000-01 1.8 
			 2001-02 1.2 
			 2002-03 1.3 
			 2003-04 1.3 
			 2004-05 1.7 
			 2005-06 1.8 
			 2006-07 1.9 
			 2007-08 2.0 
			 2008-09 3.3 
			 2009-10 3.5 
			 2010-11 2.6 
			 2011-12 1.9 
			 2012-13 0.4 
			 2013-14 1.5 
			 2014-15 1.6 
			 2015-16 1.5 
			 2016-17 1.4 
			 2017-18 1.4

Finance: Late Payment

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to reduce the amount of money owed as a result of late payment in the United Kingdom economy.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government take late payment very seriously. They are working to reduce the volume of unpaid invoices in the UK economy by promoting best practice through the prompt payment code, through central government setting an example and paying at least 80% of undisputed invoices within five days, by ensuring that government prime contractors pay their suppliers within 30 days, and by encouraging the take-up of tools like e-invoicing which can make payment more automated.

Finance: Loans

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to extend the maximum term for loans borrowed against small self-administered pension scheme funds from five to 10 years, and to introduce a system of graduated or delayed payment for such loans.

Lord Deighton: The Government currently have no plans to amend the maximum term for loans borrowed against small self-administered schemes (SSAS) or to introduce a system of graduated or delayed payment for such loans. As with all areas of the tax system, the Government keep this policy under review.

Financial Action Task Force

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 26 February (WA 303), what is the status of agreements of the Financial Action Task Force.

Lord Deighton: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is responsible for setting global standards on anti-money-laundering, counterterrorist financing and counter-proliferation financing. It is a policy-making body and its recommendations and standards do not have formal legal status unless implemented through EU directives and national legislation. We expect proposals for a fourth EU money-laundering directive to reflect the most recent revised FATF standards. Any new requirements, including the extension of the definition of politically exposed persons, would not be implemented in the UK until the directive is agreed and Her Majesty's Government have consulted on its transposition.

Gaza

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Israel to encourage them to give clearance for the import into Gaza of raw materials for the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital.

Lord Newby: On 30 January, officials from our embassy in Tel Aviv asked Israel's co-ordinator of government activities in the territories to allow the import into Gaza of raw materials for the St John's Eye Hospital and passed over a list of the items needed. We also regularly raise access issues with Israeli Ministers, senior officials and the Israeli defence forces, including the issues of medical supplies to Gaza. We will continue to monitor the situation regarding access issues.

Government Departments: Ministerial Meetings

Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagements were undertaken by HM Treasury ministers between January and March 2013 in the English regions of (1) the North West, (2) Yorkshire and Humber, and (3) the North East.

Lord Deighton: Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations1.
	1 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Government Departments: Ministerial Meetings

Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagements were undertaken by Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Ministers between January and March 2013 in the English regions of (1) the North West, (2) Yorkshire and Humber, and (3) the North East.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The information is as follows:
	
		
			 David Willetts 
			 1 March 2013 North West-Cheshire 1. University of Chester 
			   2. Shell Thornton Research Site 
			 Michael Fallon 
			 7 February 2013 Yorkshire and Humber Dinner with Sheffield City Region LEP (in Doncaster) 
			 8 February 2013 Yorkshire and Humber 1. Speech at the Conference for Growth 2013 event at Doncaster 
			   2. Speech at the Humber LEP RGF R3 launch at Baths Hall, Scunthorpe 
			   3. Visit to Moulded Fibre Products Ltd in Scunthorpe 
			 28 March 2013 North East 1. Visit to Nissan's Sunderland site 
			   2. Visit to GE Oil and Gas Wellstream facility in Newcastle 
			 Matthew Hancock MP 
			 11 February 2013 North West-Leeds 1. Meeting with LEP and Leeds City Council2. Leeds College visit 
			  Beverley 3. National Careers Service Centre visit 
			   4. East Riding College visit 
			  Hull 5. HETA visit 
			 1 February 2013 North East-Newcastle 1. Newcastle College visit 
			  Hexham 2. Northumberland College Apprentice Summit 
			 Lord Green 
			 1 February 2013 North West-Lancashire Company visits to Graham and Brown and Precision Polymer Engineering

Government Departments: Ministerial Meetings

Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagements were undertaken by Department for Communities and Local Government Ministers between January and March 2013 in the English regions of (1) the North West, (2) Yorkshire and Humber, and (3) the North East.

Baroness Hanham: Between 1 January and 31 March 2013, the following departmental visits by Ministers have taken place in local communities in that part of the country:
	Secretary of State:industrial cadets visit in Liverpool on 21 January; and Cabinet meeting in Leeds on 28 January.The Right Honourable Baroness Warsi, Senior Minister of Statevisit to Paradise Primary Faith school in Dewsbury on 17 January 2013; and visit to Moorend Academy in Huddersfield on 15 March 2013.The Minister for Housing:visit to Laing O'Rourke in Sheffield on 28 February 2013;Portas visit to Rotherham on 28 February 2013;dinner with housing representatives in Carlisle on 14 March 2013;visit to Fresh Field Court in Carlisle on 15 March 2013;visit to Carlisle College in Carlisle on 15 March 2013;visit to homelessness project St George's Crypt in Leeds on 28 March 2013; andvisit to LILAC project in Leeds on 28 March 2013.Nick Boles MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State: visit to Cumbria on 7 January 2013;visit to Elmet and Rothwell constituency on 24 January;visit to Pudsey constituency on 24 January; neighbourhood planning visit, joint with right honourable Don Foster MP, to Cumbria on 25 February; andvisit to York on 14 March 2013.The Right Honourable Don Foster MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State:meet the local community council to discuss neighbourhood planning in Stockport on 8 February 2013;visit a Youth United project in Oldham on 8 February 2013; andneighbourhood planning visit, joint with Nick Boles MP, to Cumbria on 25 February.Brandon Lewis MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State: various business visits in North Tyneside on 14 March 2013;meeting with the Association of North East Councils in Darlington on 14 March 2013;visit the Maxim Brewery in Durham on 14 March 2013;visit to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service HQ on 14 March 2013; and meeting with the Society of Independent Brewers in Sheffield on 15 March 2013.Baroness Hanham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Statevisit to Hull Energy Works scheme in Hull on 14 March 2013; andvisit to Marfleet Environmental Industries Park in Hull on 14 March 2013.

Government Departments: Ministerial Meetings

Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagements were undertaken by Department for Work and Pensions Ministers between January and March 2013 in the English regions of (1) the North West, (2) Yorkshire and Humber, and (3) the North East.

Lord Freud: I can confirm that Ministers from this department have, during the specified period, visited Jobcentre Plus offices in Bolton, Wigan and Warrington, Action on Addiction in Liverpool and a benefit centre office in Bolton.

Gypsies and Travellers

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government which local authorities have produced local plans identifying a supply of specific deliverable Traveller sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of pitches against their locally set targets; and whether they have discussed with local authorities the implications of a lack of such a plan for decisions on subsequent planning decisions when considering applications for the grant of temporary planning permission.

Baroness Hanham: This information is not collected centrally. More broadly, 71% of local planning authorities in England now have a local plan at the publication stage or beyond. The Planning Advisory Service and the Planning Inspectorate have together visited over 200 local planning authorities to provide help with getting a good quality local plan in place. Planning guidance on Traveller sites was published in March 2012. A copy was placed in the Library of the House and is available on my department's website.

Health: Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the operating surplus or deficit for Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust during the last three financial years.

Earl Howe: Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust's reported annual accounts position for each of the last three financial years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  2009-10 Annual accounts surplus/(operating deficit) £000s 2010-11 Annual accounts surplus/(operating deficit) £000s 2011-12 Annual accounts surplus/(operating deficit) £000s 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 10,227 4,512 42

Health: Cardiology

Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to use the most up-to-date population statistics available from the Office for National Statistics when planning and implementing any changes in service delivery in major NHS reorganisations, and in particular in the reconfiguration of children's heart surgery services in England.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have taken the most recent population figures into account as part of the decision to close one of the London centres currently offering children's heart surgery; if so, what assessment they have made of the availability of beds and expertise based on those figures; and whether they have considered a formal collaboration between the three London centres instead of closing one of them.

Earl Howe: National Health Service organisations should ensure they have considered the relevant evidence necessary, which may include population statistics, to assist them with the planning and delivery of service change.
	The Safe and Sustainable review of children's congenital heart services is a clinically led, NHS review, which is independent of Government. It was for the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts to decide what data to use in deciding the future pattern of these services and which options for reconfiguration to consider.

Health: Dermatology

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government why dermatology has been placed in Domain 2 at the NHS Commissioning Board.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the NHS Commissioning Board has to introduce a national clinical director for dermatology.

Earl Howe: The NHS Commissioning Board will be accountable for improving outcomes for patients across all five domains on the NHS Outcomes Framework. Aspects of the treatment of people with skin conditions could be considered under any of the five domains. This will require a change in the mindset of the National Health Service, focusing on people as individuals rather than on the conditions from which they may be suffering; and on the patient pathway, not on the organisations that treat them.
	We understand that the NHS Commissioning Board, in recruiting a cadre of National Clinical Directors to support the five domains, has sought to emphasise this new approach. Many of the national clinical directors have cross-cutting roles rather than roles related to individual medical conditions. There are no plans to introduce a national clinical director for dermatology, but senior members of the board's medical directorate are in constructive dialogue with the British Association for Dermatology on the best ways of improving outcomes for patients with skin conditions.

Health: Diabetes

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce prevention and referral indicators for diabetes patients with podiatric conditions in the 2014-15 clinical commissioning group indicators.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to commission a targeted national campaign to raise awareness of foot care for those with diabetes.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will include diabetes as a sixth improvement area in the Mandate of the NHS Commissioning Board.

Earl Howe: The first mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board, known as NHS England from 1 April, setting out the ambitions for the health service for the next two years, was published on 13 November 2012. It was drawn up following consultation with the public, health professionals and key organisations across the health and care system.
	The improvement areas referred to correspond to the five domains of the NHS Outcomes Framework and NHS England will need to demonstrate progress against the five domains and all of the outcome indicators in the framework. Under domain 2, NHS England is being asked to make measurable progress towards making the National Health Service among the best in Europe at supporting people with ongoing health problems to live healthily and independently, with much better control over the care they receive. This objective includes people with diabetes.
	The mandate is intended to provide the NHS with much greater stability to plan ahead. Other than in exceptional circumstances, including a general election, it cannot be changed in the course of the year without the agreement of NHS England. There are currently no plans to amend the current mandate, which will come into effect from 1 April 2013.
	The mandate will be refreshed annually to ensure it remains relevant and up to date following consultation in line with the requirements set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The case for adding new objectives will be considered as part of the process for developing future mandates.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) consultation on potential new indicators for consideration for the 2014-15 Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set (CCGOIS), which ran between 1 February and 1 March 2013, did not include prevention and referral indicators for diabetes patients with podiatric conditions.
	A set of recommended indicators will be published on the NICE website in August 2013. It will then be for NHS England to decide on the final CCGOIS indicators for 2014-15.
	There are currently no plans to run a national campaign to raise awareness of foot care for those with diabetes. Local commissioners are responsible for the provision of services for local populations and may undertake awareness initiatives, if appropriate.

Health: Expenditure

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department of Health spent at 2012-13 prices on (1) the National Health Service, and (2) personal social services, in each of the years (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, and (c) 2011-12; and what it is forecast to spend in 2012-13.

Earl Howe: The following tables show total National Health Service and personal social services (PSS) expenditure from 2009-10 to 2012-13, both in nominal and 2012-13 prices.
	PSS funding has been transferred from the Department of Health to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and does not form part of the departmental expenditure limit (DEL) from 2011-12.
	Prices based on gross domestic product deflators as at 20 March 2013.
	
		
			 NHS & PSS Expenditure 2009-10 to 2012-13 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Nominal Outturn Outturn Outturn Plan 
			  £ million £ million £ million £ million 
			 NHS Revenue 95,680 98,764 101,589 105,475 
			 PSS 1,395 1,522   
			 Capital 5,182 4,159 3,786 4,495 
			 Depreciation - 1,187 - 1,210 - 1,193 - 1,182 
			 Total Department of Health DEL expenditure 101,070 103,234 104,182 108,789 
		
	
	Source: Department of Health Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12
	
		
			 In 2012-13 Prices 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			  Outturn Outturn Outturn Plan 
			  £ million £ million £ million £ million 
			 NHS Revenue 101,806 102,182 102,910 105,475 
			 PSS 1,484 1,575   
			 Capital 5,514 4,303 3,835 4,495 
			 Depreciation - 1,263 - 1,252 - 1,209 - 1,182 
			 Total Department of Health DEL expenditure 107,541 106,808 105,537 108,789

Health: Expenditure

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the (1) revenue, and (2) capital, expenditure at constant prices, of the Department of Health on the National Health Service from 1996-97 to the forecast for 2012-13; and what was the percentage change each year from the previous year.

Earl Howe: The following tables show the revenue and capital National Health Service expenditure of the department from 1996-97 to 2012-13, and include the nominal and real terms increases over the period.
	NHS real terms growth is measured using the gross domestic product (GDP) deflator. The GDP is the general measure of price increases across the whole economy and is consistent with that used by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
	GDP deflators used are as dated 20 March 2013.
	
		
			 Table 1: NHS Revenue Expenditure England-1996-97 to 2012-13 
			 Year  Revenue Net NHS Expenditure £ billion 5,7 % increase % real terms increase 8 
			 Cash1 
			 1996-97 Outturn 31.656 4.6 1.5 
			 1997-98 Outturn 33.575 6.1 4.0 
			 1998-99 Outturn 35.801 6.6 4.5 
			 1999-00 Outturn 38.918 8.7 6.8 
			 Resource Budgeting Stage 12 
			 1999-00 Outturn 39.293 - - 
			 2000-01 Outturn 42.686 8.6 8.0 
			 2001-02 Outturn 47.289 10.8 8.7 
			 2002-03 Outturn 51.935 9.8 7.1 
			 Resource Budgeting Stage 23,6 
			 2003-04 Outturn 61.865 - - 
			 2004-05 Outturn 66.871 8.1 5.0 
			 2005-06 Outturn 74.168 10.9 8.4 
			 2006-07 Outturn 78.468 5.8 3.0 
			 2007-08 Outturn 86.382 10.1 7.4 
			 2008-09 Outturn 90.744 5.0 2.3 
			 2009-10 Outturn 97.845 7.8 6.2 
			 Resource Budgeting-Aligned 4 
			 2009-10 Outturn 95.681 - - 
			 2010-11 Outturn 98.766 3.2 0.4 
			 2011-12 Outturn 101.589 2.9 0.7 
			 2012-13 Plan 105.475 3.8 2.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Expenditure pre 1999-00 is on a cash basis.
	2.Expenditure figures from 1999-00 to 2002-03 are on a Stage 1 resource budgeting basis.
	3.Expenditure figures from 2003-04 to 2009-10 are on a Stage 2 resource budgeting basis.
	4.Expenditure figures from 2009-10 to 2010-11 are on an aligned basis.
	5.Expenditure figures are not consistent over the period (1996-97 to 2012-13) and this should be noted when making comparisons between years.
	6. Figures from 2003-04 include a technical adjustment for trust depreciation
	7. Expenditure excludes NHS Annually Managed Expenditure (AME)
	8. GDP as at 20.03.2013
	9. Revenue is quoted gross of non-trust depreciation and impairments; prior to September 2007, revenue was quoted net of non-trust depreciation and impairments. This brings DH in line with HMT presentation of the statistics
	
		
			 Table 2: NHS Capital Expenditure England-1996-97 to 2012-13 
			 Year  Capital Net NHS Expenditure5 £ billion % increase % real terms increase6 
			 Cash1 
			 1996-97 Outturn 1.341 -22.7 -25.0 
			 1997-98 Outturn 1.089 -18.8 -20.4 
			 1998-99 Outturn 0.808 -25.9 -27.4 
			 1999-00 Outturn 0.963 19.2 17.1 
			 Resource Budgeting Stage 12 
			 1999-00 Outturn 0.908 - - 
			 2000-01 Outturn 1.246 37.2 36.4 
			 2001-02 Outturn 1.732 39.0 36.4 
			 2002-03 Outturn 2.107 21.7 18.7 
			 Resource Budgeting Stage 23 
			 2003-04 Outturn 2.602 - - 
			 2004-05 Outturn 2.624 0.9 -2.0 
			 2005-06 Outturn 2.151 -18.0 -19.8 
			 2006-07 Outturn 3.069 42.7 38.9 
			 2007-08 Outturn 3.736 21.8 18.8 
			 2008-09 Outturn 4.225 13.1 10.1 
			 2009-10 Outturn 5.223 23.6 21.8 
			 Resource Budgeting-Aligned4 
			 2009-10 Outturn 5.183 - - 
			 2010-11 Outturn 4.159 -19.8 -22.0 
			 2011-12 Outturn 3.786 -9.0 -10.9 
			 2012-13 Plan 4.495 18.7 17.2 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Expenditure pre 1999-00 is on a cash basis.
	2.Expenditure figures from 1999-00 to 2002-03 are on a Stage 1 resource budgeting basis
	3.Expenditure figures from 2003-04 to 2009-10 are on a Stage 2 resource budgeting basis
	4.Expenditure figures from 2009-10 to 2012-13 are on an aligned basis.
	5. Expenditure excludes NHS (AME).
	6. GDP as at 20.03.2013

Health: Kidney Failure

Lord Walton of Detchant: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the recommendations of the 2009 report by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcomes and Death Acute kidney injury: adding insult to injury.

Earl Howe: The report Acute Kidney Injury: Adding Insult to Injury, published in 2009 by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD), made a number of recommendations to improve the clinical care of people with acute kidney injury (AKI). In response to the report, the department asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to provide definitive clinical guidance in this area. The NCEPOD recommendations have informed the development of the guidance, the draft of which is currently out for consultation until 29 April 2013 and can be viewed on the NICE website (www.nice. org.uk) by typing acute kidney injury into the search bar. It is anticipated that the final guidance will be published in August 2013.
	More generally, since the publication of the NCEPOD report, the department has undertaken a range of actions to support improved care for people with AKI. These have included developing multiprofessional e-learning packages for fluid management and AKI prevention; establishing regional networks for AKI to support integrated care for AKI patients and to share expertise and resources; working with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges to develop a multiprofessional skills and competency programme for fluid management; and establishing an AKI delivery group with the key stakeholders in acute care.
	NHS Kidney care (NHS KC), the kidney diseases improvement body, launched the Hydration Matters campaign in June 2012 to highlight the importance of good fluid management in order to improve care for acutely unwell patients and reduce the risk of kidney damage.
	Between August 2012 and January 2013, NHS KC also piloted an audit of stage 3 AKI (kidney failure) incidence and outcomes at 47 National Health Service trusts. The publication of comparative information will allow organisations to benchmark their performance against one another and to identify and share good practice. We anticipate the audit findings will be made available in May 2013.
	In November 2012, with the support of NHS KC, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh convened a UK wide meeting at which a consensus statement on how to improve the diagnosis and management of AKI was agreed. The statement can be read on the Royal College of Physicians website (www.rcpe.ac.uk) by typing acute kidney injury consensus statement into the search bar.

Health: London Health Improvement Board

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 5 March (WA 397-8), what is the remit of the London Health Improvement Board, and in particular whether it covers the configuration of health services in London.

Baroness Hanham: The London Health Improvement Board was set up by the mayor to help deliver the mayor's general duty to improve the health of all Londoners and a statutory duty to reduce inequalities in health outcomes across the capital. DCLG and DH do not have any involvement with the board or its remit so it would be inappropriate to provide more information about the work of the board.
	More information is available at http://www.lhib.org.uk or from the mayor's office.

Health: Meningococcal B Vaccine

The Earl of Listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Scottish Government and the Northern Irish Executive regarding the introduction of the meningococcal B vaccine into the childhood immunisation schedule.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how their discussions are progressing with the Local Government Association, the NHS Commissioning Board and Public Health Executive regarding the introduction of the meningococcal B vaccine into the childhood immunisation schedule.

Earl Howe: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is currently evaluating possible meningococcal B vaccination strategies.
	Representatives from the devolved Administrations attend meetings of the JCVI and departmental officials continue to work closely with, and regularly meet officials from the Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly on immunisation matters.
	The potential introduction of such a possible meningococcal B immunisation programme was discussed recently at the first meeting of the newly established Immunisation Programme Board and subsequently at the NHS Contribution to Public Health Executive Group. It is anticipated that further meetings will be arranged in the coming months between all interested parties to plan for the implementation of a possible decision to introduce a meningococcal B immunisation programme subject to the JCVI's advice.

Health: Mental Health

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take in the light of research conducted by Bristol University suggesting that NHS doctors are more likely to allow patients to die if they suffer from a mental illness.

Earl Howe: The report from the Confidential Inquiry into Premature Deaths of People with Learning Disabilities is an important document. This department commissioned research highlights the inequalities that people with learning disabilities face with regard to their health and care. It is not acceptable that people with learning disabilities are subject to these inequalities and have such a high risk of dying prematurely. That is why there is an indicator in the NHS Outcomes Framework relating to the premature mortality of people with learning disabilities. The recommendations of the Confidential Inquiry give a clear indicator of the areas that need to be addressed, and we will consider these findings carefully with other partners who have an important role to play in addressing premature mortality, including the NHS Commissioning Board.

Health: Neurology

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans have been made for the closure of, or change of services at, the Hurstwood Park Neurological Unit in Haywards Heath.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation has taken place over plans to alter the provision of neurological treatment in Sussex.

Earl Howe: Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has confirmed it plans to move the Hurstwood Park Regional Centre for Neurosciences from Haywards Heath to a new purpose-built facility in Brighton. This forms part of the trust's plans to redevelop the Royal Sussex County Hospital as the regional centre for teaching, trauma and tertiary care (known as the 3Ts programme).
	The proposals were previously the subject of a public consultation called Best Care, Best Place in 2004.

Health: Nurses

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many specialist infection control nursing posts have been lost during the transfer of public health commissioning from primary care trusts to the new health structure.

Earl Howe: This information is not held centrally. It is a matter for local determination to ensure that appropriate specialist infection prevention and control commissioning nurses and teams are in place to prevent and control infections.

Health: Nurses

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to the implications of the NHS Mandate, what measures they have put in place to ensure that a safe and proper service is provided following transfer of specialist infection control nurses into the new public health and commissioning systems.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to the implications of the NHS Mandate, what steps they are taking to guarantee that appropriate funds are available for the specific role of specialist infection control nurses following their transfer into the new public health system and commissioning systems.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to the implications of the NHS Mandate, how they will ensure that appropriate infection control advice is available in each clinical commissioning group.

Earl Howe: The NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England) and clinical commissioning groups have a responsibility for infection prevention and control as part of their commissioning function, as outlined in the draft NHS Standard Contract and in the National Quality Board report on clinical governance.
	Local authority public health teams will be required through regulations to advise their partners on local health protection arrangements, including in relation to infectious disease. In addition, provision has been made within the ring-fenced grant to allow local arrangements to be put in place, where necessary, to retain scarce infection prevention and control expertise.

Health: Obesity

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the 10 recommendations of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges to tackle obesity in the report "Measuring Up: the medical profession's prescription for the nation's obesity crisis" of February 2013.

Earl Howe: We have noted this report from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Call to Action on Obesity in England, published in October 2011, sets out the Government's approach to tackling obesity in the new public health and National Health Service systems and the role of key partners, which includes the medical profession, business and other government departments.
	The call to action sets out two new national ambitions for achieving a downward trend in the level of excess weight in children and adults by 2020. A copy of A Call to Action has already been placed in the Library.

Health: Painkillers

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to encourage a greater degree of regulation of the use of painkillers on hospital wards.

Earl Howe: Adequate pain relief is an important part of the treatment and support needed for many people with pain, especially chronic pain. Most painkillers for severe pain are controlled drugs regulated under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations. Information about the benefits and risks of commonly used painkillers is available to hospital clinicians from sources such as the British National Formulary and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Clinicians should be aware of the particular risks associated with use of opioid painkillers in particular.

Health: Royal Sussex County Hospital

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when a decision will be made on the final HM Treasury approval for the redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are necessary before a decision will be made on HM Treasury approval for the redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Lord Deighton: Formal Treasury approval has not yet been sought for the outline business case for the redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Treasury officials are currently working with their counterparts in the Department of Health to ensure that the proposal is sufficiently well developed so that approvals can be completed as quickly as possible.
	A final decision will be made once the redevelopment proposal has been considered and approved at both the outline business case and full business case stages, in line with HM Treasury's major project approval and assurance guidance'.
	Prior to any approval being granted, the Treasury will need to be satisfied that the strategic case is sufficiently robust, that the proposal represents value for money, that it is commercially viable, that it is financially affordable and that it is deliverable.
	1 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/major_projects_approvals_ assurance_guidance.PDF

Health: Royal Sussex County Hospital

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what extra resources will be allocated to the Royal Sussex County Hospital to assist facilitating the increase in demand for services, in particular for accident and emergency.

Earl Howe: The commissioning of accident and emergency services is a matter for local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), whose resources are allocated by the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England). The Royal Sussex County Hospital is part of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, whose largest commissioning CCG is NHS Brighton and Hove CCG. It will also receive funding through commissions from other CCGs and through the direct commissioning responsibilities of NHS England.
	For 2013-14, NHS Brighton and Hove CCG has been allocated £348,461,000. In common with other CCGs, this is 2.3% above the 2012-13 baseline position.

Health: Sleep Apnoea

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the omission of respiratory disease from the NHS Commissioning Board's list of Strategic Clinical Networks, what steps they will take to ensure that improvements in obstructive sleep apnoea care and services continue in the reformed National Health Service.

Earl Howe: The future programme of work on delivering improvements for people with respiratory disease, including those with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), will be a matter for the NHS Commissioning Board (NHSCB) and clinical commissioning groups from 1 April 2013. The NHSCB is currently developing its work priorities and plans, which will be based on delivering quality care that is effective and safe and that ensures a positive patient experience. Clinical commissioning groups are well placed at a local level to understand and respond to the needs of their local populations, including people with OSA.

Health: Vaccinations

The Earl of Listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional support the NHS will receive in the light of the introduction of three new vaccines-rotavirus, meningococcal C and zoster vaccine-into the immunisation schedule this year, as well as a new vaccine against meningococcal B.

Earl Howe: Public Health England (PHE) will provide support, advice and expertise to the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England) in commissioning national immunisation programmes. This will include:
	procurement, storage and distribution of vaccines;developing national service specifications for national immunisation programmes;provision of PHE-employed immunisation specialists seconded into NHS England area teams to support commissioning and co-ordinate the provision of local programmes with providers;gathering and analysing vaccine coverage and surveillance data;developing and providing national communications strategies for immunisation for healthcare professionals and the public; andproviding expert public health analysis and advice.
	NHS England will receive £1,843 million from the public health budget for the purposes of performing agreed public health functions in the financial year 2013-14, including commissioning national immunisation programmes. This funding may be used only for expenditure attributable to the performance of functions pursuant to the agreement. This does not preclude NHS England from choosing to allocate additional resources to prioritise public health spend within its overall resource limit.
	In addition, funding of £360 million from the public health budget for services provided through primary care is included within the total allocation of resources to NHS England. The total amount allocated to NHS England from the public health budget for the financial year 2013-14 for the delivery of public health services is therefore £2,203 million.

Health: Vaccinations

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the cost to the National Health Service as a result of not charging patients for vaccinations and immunisation for overseas travel.

Earl Howe: There are currently four travel vaccines (polio, typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera) that are routinely available free of charge on the National Health Service. The department does not purchase these travel vaccines centrally. The combined polio vaccine which is also given for reasons other than travel is part of the childhood immunisation programme and that is centrally purchased. However, for travel purposes, general practitioners (GPs) purchase all travel vaccines including the combined polio vaccine direct from the manufacturers.
	It is not possible to identify separately the costs to the NHS of the administration of these vaccines by GPs because they are included in GPs' global sum funding (weighted capitation payments) for delivering essential and additional services.
	Data about the provision of vaccines in primary care do not include the reason for prescription. Therefore, it is not possible to provide information about costs of reimbursement and remuneration made to dispensing contractors (doctors and pharmacists) for travel vaccines.

Healthcare: Costs

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what payments they made in the last year for which figures are available, in sterling, to each European Union member state for healthcare provided to pensioners who are UK citizens; what are the amounts in sterling paid by each EU member state to the United Kingdom for the healthcare costs of non-UK EU citizen pensioners resident in the United Kingdom; and what are the total payments in both respects.

Earl Howe: Payments made to each European Union member state for healthcare provided to pensioners who are United Kingdom citizens and payments made by each EU member state to the UK for the healthcare costs of non-UK EU citizen pensioners resident in the UK are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 2011-2012 Member State Claims against the UK UK claims against Member States 
			 Austria £6,435,000 £245,000 
			 Belgium £5,819,000 £3,968,000 
			 Bulgaria £216,000 £149,000 
			 Cyprus £11,521,000 £149,000 
			 Czech Republic £826,000 £102,000 
			 Denmark (Waiver) £0 £0 
			 Estonia (Waiver) £0 £0 
			 Finland (Waiver) £13,000 £0 
			 France £196,692,000 £6,313,000 
			 Germany £21,525,000 £2,075,000 
			 Greece £7,853,000 £486,000 
			 Hungary (Waiver) £4,000 £0 
			 Iceland £0 £2,000 
			 Ireland £368,304,000 £23,087,000 
			 Italy £10,865,000 £850,000 
			 Latvia £38,000 £62,000 
			 Liechtenstein £14,000 £4,000 
			 Lithuania £37,000 £77,000 
			 Luxembourg £613,000 £111,000 
			 Malta (Waiver) £0 £0 
			 Netherlands £8,104,000 £4,209,000 
			 Norway (Waiver) £7,000 £0 
			 Poland £1,607,000 £960,000 
			 Portugal £5,770,000 £644,000 
			 Romania £10,000 £280,000 
			 Slovakia £670,000 £40,000 
			 Slovenia £210,000 £112,000 
			 Spain £247,324,000 £3,236,000 
			 Sweden £2,945,000 £1,292,000 
			 Switzerland £5,958,000 £236,000 
			 Total £903,400,000 £48,700,000

Healthcare: Costs

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government which European Union member states are reimbursed by the United Kingdom for the healthcare costs of those in receipt of a UK pension on the basis of (1) the average cost of treatment, and (2) the actual costs incurred; in the former case, on which basis the average cost is calculated; and for how many individual pensioners payments were reimbursed in each case in the past year for which figures are available.

Earl Howe: The methodology for calculating average costs is set down by the European Commission, which is required to scrutinise and approve average costs produced. Each country is responsible for how it interprets the rules laid down by the Commission.
	The methodology for calculating average costs is set down by the European Commission, which is required to scrutinise and approve average costs produced. Each country is responsible for how it interprets the rules laid down by the Commission.
	The method of cost recovery, by country, is shown in the following table (countries not listed hold waiver agreements with the United Kingdom):
	
		
			 Average Cost Actual Cost 
			 Cyprus Austria 
			 Ireland Belgium 
			 Italy Czech Republic 
			 Liechtenstein France 
			 Netherlands Germany 
			 Portugal Greece 
			 Spain Latvia 
			 Switzerland Lithuania 
			  Luxembourg 
			  Poland 
			  Romania 
			  Slovakia 
			  Slovenia 
		
	
	The number of registered UK state pensioners, living in other European Economic Area countries and for whom the UK is responsible for health costs, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Country 2010 
			 Austria 615 
			 Belgium 610 
			 Bulgaria 352 
			 Czech Republic 96 
			 Denmark 26 
			 Estonia 19 
			 Finland 33 
			 France 45,518 
			 Germany 3,042 
			 Greece 3,052 
			 Hungary 425 
			 Iceland 12 
			 Italy 3,148 
			 Latvia 40 
			 Lithuania 21 
			 Luxembourg 52 
			 Malta 2,435 
			 Norway 54 
			 Poland 494 
			 Portugal 2,741 
			 Romania 12 
			 Slovakia 15 
			 Slovenia 59 
			 Spain 79,711 
			 Sweden 155 
			 Switzerland 360 
			 The Netherlands 303 
			 The Republic of Cyprus 12,041 
			 Total 155,441

Healthcare: Costs

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many non-UK European Union citizens in receipt of a pension and resident in the United Kingdom received healthcare for which the cost was reimbursed by another EU member state in the last year for which figures are available.

Earl Howe: In 2012, the United Kingdom received reimbursement for healthcare provided to 2,054 state pensioners from other European Economic Area countries resident in the UK.

Herbal Medicines

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 19 March (WA 314), whether the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, Dr Daniel Poulter MP has plans to meet Mr Michael McIntyre, Chairman of the European Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioners' Association, and Lord Pearson of Rannoch, Patron of the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine, to find a solution to the problems surrounding the establishment of a statutory register for practitioners supplying unlicensed herbal medicines; and, if so, when.

Earl Howe: As set out in my Written Answer of 19 March, this is a complex policy and a number of issues have arisen that the department is required to work through. Once this has been undertaken, an announcement will be made on the progress of this policy. At this point, the department will endeavour to contact all interested parties, including Mr McIntyre and Lord Pearson.

Homelessness: Rough Sleepers

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many rough sleepers have died on the streets of London in each year since 2007.

Baroness Hanham: The department does not keep statistics on rough sleeper deaths.
	There are extensive services provided for rough sleepers across London including almost 2,000 hostel beds, 35 day centres and 19 outreach teams. Services are concentrated in the main rough sleeping boroughs.
	We supported the Mayor of London in developing the No Second Night Out scheme to ensure that nobody new spends a second night sleeping rough on London's streets and all local authorities have now agreed to put this approach in place by end of 2013.
	We have supported the voluntary sector to develop a new service-StreetLink. The national hotline (0300 500 0914) and website enable members of the public to pass on the details of rough sleepers to ensure they are found quickly and connected to local services and given the support they need to get them back on their feet.
	We have also worked with the Greater London Authority to develop a pioneering Social Impact Bond to work with approximately 850 people with significant experience of rough sleeping in London over the past two years to attract social investment to help address their underlying problems.
	London has specific cold weather arrangements in place to prevent loss of life among rough sleepers. We have provided £34 million over four years to the Greater London Authority to tackle rough sleeping across the capital and it operates a pan-London cold weather shelter to supplement the efforts of individual boroughs.

Homelessness: Rough Sleepers

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 18 March (WA 106), in the light of the proportion of London rough sleepers who are European Union nationals, whether they will require, rather than expect, the Greater London Authority and other local authorities to have local reconnection protocols with the UK Border Authority effecting and paying for the administrative removal of destitute foreign nationals to European Union countries as a condition of receipt of the extra funding provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government to tackle homelessness; and whether they monitor the level of the present use of that option.

Baroness Hanham: Under the spending review, we have provided £470 million to local authorities and the voluntary sector to tackle homelessness, including rough sleeping. This includes £34 million to the Greater London Authority, which funds a range of rough sleeping services across the capital.
	Local authorities and the Greater London Authority already work closely with the Home Office to tackle rough sleeping by destitute EU nationals across London. Where destitute EU nationals refuse to voluntarily depart with the help of the local authority, the Home Office will deploy its administrative removal powers.
	Comprehensive data on London's rough sleepers, including nationality information, is held under the Greater London Authority's CHAIN system. DCLG does not monitor voluntary departures of EU nationals aided by local authorities. The Home Office publishes data on the removal of EU nationals online: https://www.gov.uk/govemment/publications/data-tables-immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2012

House of Lords European Union Committee

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, since the passage of the Lisbon Treaty, how many recommendations have been made to them by the House of Lords European Union Committee; and, of those, how many have been (1) accepted and acted upon by them, and (2) accepted by them and subsequently passed into European Union law.

Baroness Warsi: The European Union Committee First Report, 2010-12 (HL Paper 13) provides a comprehensive picture of the committee's inquiry work during this period. The report notes the key recommendations made by the committee and, where appropriate, the Government's response to them. A copy of the report can be found in the House Library.
	The Government strongly believe that national parliaments have an important role to play in European business and greatly appreciate the contributions made by the House of Lords European Union Committee to the policy-making process.

House of Lords: Appointments

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 12 February (WA 146), whether the Prime Minister has undertaken any discussions with the leaders of minor political parties concerning the nomination of their members to take seats in the House of Lords in pursuit of his policy to make membership of the House reflect the shares of votes cast at the most recent General Election.

Lord Newby: In line with the practice of previous Administrations, details of such discussions are not normally disclosed.

House of Lords: Staff

Lord Hoyle: To ask the Chairman of Committees what proposals there are to reduce overtime for House of Lords staff; and what staff will be affected by any such proposals.

Lord Sewel: The House of Lords Administration is in the process of conducting a formal process of consultation with staff in Catering and Retail Services (CRS), regarding the terms of their contracts. Overtime costs in CRS were approximately £311,000 in 2011-12 and while it is recognised that paid overtime will always be necessary, it is anticipated that it can be reduced by better planning of staff time with the use of variable shift rotas, movement between outlets and the use of time off in lieu. The Administration began a formal process of consultation with CRS staff in July 2012 and these discussions are ongoing.
	A night duty allowance is paid to some staff who work on a regular basis, on duties connected with the sittings of the House. Some overtime (totalling approximately £25,000 in 2011-12) is also paid in offices other than CRS. The current proposals do not affect night duty allowances or overtime worked in offices other than CRS.

Houses of Parliament: Legislation

Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Bills in each of the previous five Parliaments affected England alone and had no implications for any of the other nations in the United Kingdom.

Lord Newby: This information could be collected only at disproportionate expense. Each Bill presented to Parliament signifies its territorial extent. In the current Parliament, three Bills announced in the 2010 Queen's speech applied only to England. All other government Bills announced in the 2010 and 2012 Queen's Speeches have applied in whole or in part to Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Housing

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 20 March (WA 157), why the table giving details of social housing sales, which would not exceed the standard two columns of the Official Report, was not given as part of the answer, but was placed in the Library of the House; and whether they will now ensure that the table is now published along with the answer in the Official Report.

Baroness Hanham: The information on social housing sales between 1980-81 and 2011-12 placed in the Library following the earlier Questions is set out below. We routinely publish longer datasets as a deposited paper.
	
		
			  Total local authority sales Total Private Registered Provider sales Local authority transfers to Private Registered Providers 
			 1980-81 2,330  65,900 
			 1981-82 105,200  22,970 
			 1982-83 167,120  14,120 
			 1983-84 106,260  15,780 
			 1984-85 77,520  13,850 
			 1985-86 72,140  10,180 
			 1986-87 76,750  9,380 
			 1987-88 93,730  19,240 
			 1988-89 135,700  20,370 
			 1989-90 133,800  23,100 
			 1990-91 76,330  50,390 
			 1991-92 54,480  10,330 
			 1992-93 42,110  27,260 
			 1993-94 50,340  31,310 
			 1994-95 46,240  41,120 
			 1995-96 33,160  45,900 
			 1996-97 35,210 2,380 22,530 
			 1997-98 42,080 4,500 35,700 
			 1998-99 41,090 4,410 76,540 
			 1999-00 54,960 7,250 96,760 
			 2000-01 53,010 7,100 132,460 
			 2001-02 52,460 9,890 35,690 
			 2002-03 64,150 12,570 165,980 
			 2003-04 69,990 18,340 39,220 
			 2004-05 50,370 14,900 101,580 
			 2005-06 26,940 11,260 48,440 
			 2006-07 17,390 10,260 78,790 
			 2007-08 12,250 7,110 94,220 
			 2008-09 3,150 4,160 46,000 
			 2009-10 2,730 5,870 23,760 
			 2010-11 3,090 5,320 52,260 
			 2011-12 3,080 6,580 23,970 
		
	
	1. Private Registered Providers refer to Private Registered Providers of social housing in England that are registered with the social housing regulator (for the years in this table, this was the Tenant Services Authority), On 1st April 2012 regulatory functions transferred to the Homes and Community Agency's Regulation Committee. This term excludes local authority registered providers.
	2. Source: DCLG, Homes and Communities Agency

Housing Benefit

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis the allocations to local authorities of funds for discretionary housing payments were determined; what calculations were made in determining them; and for what purposes those payments can be used.

Lord Freud: Following discussions between the department and local authority associations it was agreed to allocate discretionary housing payments according to need. To achieve this, a different methodology was applied to each of the funding streams included for discretionary housing payments: original baseline funding; local housing allowance reforms; removal of spare room subsidy; and the benefit cap. The paragraphs below detail the methodology.
	Original baseline funding: as per previous years, it was agreed to distribute funds based on previous expenditure.
	Local housing allowance reforms: this funding is allocated on the basis of each local authority's share of total anticipated losses experienced by claimants as a result of the reforms to local housing allowance.
	Removal of spare room subsidy: this funding is aimed at disabled people who live in significantly adapted accommodation. The methodology used here is based on the regional impacts of forecasted losses as a result of this policy.
	Benefit cap: this funding is to provide short-term support to those affected by the benefit cap. To ensure that those in rural areas are catered for, the methodology distributes 10% of this funding equally across all local authorities (to ensure that those with lower numbers, but possible difficult supply side issues have access to funds) with the remaining 90% distributed based on anticipated volume of benefit cap cases as at April 2013 weighted according to the value of the cap amount.
	DHPs must be awarded to cover housing costs, which can cover rent, rent in advance, deposits and moving costs. DWP provides guidance to local authorities to help them decide whether to award a DHP, but the administration of the scheme is at local authorities' discretion.

Housing: Leaseholders' Charges

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review Sections 20 and 20ZA of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and Regulation 6 of the Service Charges Consultation Requirements (England) Regulations 2003, in the light of the decision in Phillips and Goddard v Francis; and, if so, whether they will consult on any proposals to amend the legislation.

Baroness Hanham: The Government cannot comment on the decision in the case of Phillips and Goddard versus Francis,which may be subject to appeal. However, they are aware that it has created uncertainties for leaseholders and landlords, as a result of which many people would like to see their legal duties clarified. Any response to this case must be carefully considered.
	The Government also need to look at the important and even more recent Supreme Court case of Daejan Investments Ltd versus Benson, which also involves the Section 20 consultation requirements.
	I can confirm that the Government are giving careful consideration to what action may be needed and are committed to dialogue with a broad range of interested parties over the coming months on the issue of leaseholder consultation.

Housing: Leaseholders' Charges

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether monies paid towards a service charge on a residential leasehold property fall within the meaning of clients' money in Section 12 of the Estate Agents Act 1979; and what impact they forecast the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, if enacted, will have on protection of funds held by managers of residential leasehold properties.

Baroness Hanham: Section 12 of the Estate Agents Act 1979 sets out the meaning of "client money" for the purposes of estate agency work, including in respect of client money protection requirements at Section 13 of that Act.
	Service charges paid by leaseholders in respect of residential leasehold properties do not fall within the meaning of Section 12 of that Act. It is also not entirely clear what impact Clause 71 (Letting Agents etc) of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill as amended on Report in the Lords, would have on the protection of service charges in the residential leasehold sector, if enacted.
	However, service charge monies are already protected under Section 42 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987. This requires that service charges must be held in one or more accounts and at a financial institution specified by regulations. Service charges are also deemed to be held in a statutory trust and can only be used for the purposes for which they have been collected.

Housing: Leaseholders' Charges

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of landlords of residential property using management charges to recover their costs relating to leasehold valuation tribunals; and whether they will introduce any legislation concerning that practice.

Baroness Hanham: The Government are aware that some residential leases permit the recovery of the landlord's legal costs of appearing before a leasehold valuation tribunal from leaseholders as administration charges but have not made any assessment of this practice.
	Whether or not a landlord is able to recover costs in this way is a contractual matter and will depend on the terms of the lease. The Government are aware, however, that leaseholders are increasingly concerned about the recovery of such costs as administration charges.
	The Government are looking carefully at this issue, but they require detailed consideration before determining what, if anything, should be done.

Housing: Mortgages

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their proposed plans to support mortgage lending applicable to existing housing stock will cover the purchase of second homes by married couples.

Lord Deighton: The Government are clear that the intention of the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee is to help households who, due to the constrained availability of high loan-to-value mortgages in the wake of the financial crisis, are unable to get on to the housing ladder or are trapped in homes unsuited to their aspirations and needs. At Budget, the Government set out a scheme outline and will be working with industry in the coming months to determine the details of the scheme, including how this intention is best fulfilled.

Housing: Mortgages

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reviewed the impact on house prices of their new mortgage proposals.

Lord Deighton: At Budget 2013, the Government announced the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee, which will be available from January 2014. The scheme is a temporary intervention, designed to address the sharp decline in the availability of high loan-to-value lending in the wake of the financial crisis. The Government published a scheme outline alongside the Budget and will be working with industry in the coming months to determine the details of the scheme.
	It is for the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to produce the official economic and fiscal forecasts. These are based on all government policies and take into account the impact of new policies on the economic forecast. The OBR's Economic and Fiscal Outlook1 sets out the key assumptions, conventions and projections underpinning the forecast, including the forecast for house prices. Page 43 of the document states:
	"The Government have announced various measures aimed at improving the supply of UK housing and supporting property transactions. These include an extension and expansion of the Government's Help to Buy scheme, the Right to Buy scheme and the Build to Rent Fund, and the introduction of a Mortgage Equity Guarantee aimed at high loan-to-value mortgages. The expansion of the existing schemes is likely to have a relatively small additional impact on transactions and residential investment. The details and timing of the guarantee scheme have yet to be finalised and it is therefore too early to quantify the likely impact. Overall, however, these measures, alongside the Funding for Lending Scheme, should support the significant growth in property transactions and residential investment that we forecast over the next two years".
	1 http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/March-2013-EFO-44734674673453.pdf

Human Trafficking

Baroness Doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the Salvation Army's report that it helped 378 victims of trafficking in 2011-12, what assessment they have made of how many of those victims were children at the time they arrived in the United Kingdom.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The needs of each victim, whether adult or child, are assessed immediately following their referral into the National Referral Mechanism. Child victims, or those thought to be children at the time they are assessed, are referred to the relevant local authority children's services for accommodation and support. No formal assessment is currently made of the numbers of adult victims who may have been trafficked into the UK as a child.

Immigration: Deportation

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons of October 2012 on the Cedars pre-departure accommodation for families, whether they will order the UK Border Agency, and its contractors, not to use force when deporting pregnant women and children.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The recommendation in the report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons on Cedars pre-departure accommodation that force should never be used to effect the removal of pregnant women and children was rejected by the UK Border Agency. However, the UK Border Agency has taken the decision to adopt a policy not to use force solely to effect removal in such cases until a consultation on its use has taken place.

Inflation

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 8 January (WA 8), what assessment they have made of the efficacy of their inflation targeting framework; and whether they have any plans to change the targeting framework.

Lord Deighton: Monetary policy has a critical role to play in supporting the economy as the Government deliver on their commitment to necessary fiscal consolidation. To ensure that they can continue to play that role fully, the Government have reviewed the UK's flexible inflation targeting monetary policy framework in international and historical context. This review of the monetary policy framework was published alongside Budget 2013 and can be found in the Library of the House.
	The review includes an assessment of the performance of inflation targeting in the UK over two decades, which have seen low and stable inflation and anchored inflation expectations. Based on the assessment set out in the review, the Government believe that low and stable medium-term inflation is a necessary, though not sufficient, pre-requisite for economic prosperity. As a result, in the remit for the independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England set at Budget 2013, the Government have retained a flexible inflation targeting framework and reaffirmed the 2% Consumer Prices Index inflation target, which applies at all times. The Government updated the remit to clarify the trade-offs that are involved in setting monetary policy to meet a forward-looking inflation target.
	The Government have also established a new framework for macro-prudential regulation, for which the Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England is responsible.

Infrastructure Investment

Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 2.231 of Budget 2013, which options they are considering for making more use of independent expertise in further developing their infrastructure strategy; and when they will announce their decisions in that regard.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 2.230 of Budget 2013, for which departments they will publish infrastructure capacity plans; and when those plans will be published.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 2.230 of Budget 2013, what will be the principal features of the infrastructure capacity plans; and how those plans will improve on the status quo.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 2.230 of Budget 2013, how many additional commercial specialists they intend to recruit into Infrastructure UK.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 2.230 of Budget 2013, in what respects other than appointing new commercial specialists they will reform their approach to infrastructure delivery.

Lord Deighton: In addition to creating an enhanced central cadre of commercial infrastructure specialists, the Government will establish infrastructure capacity plans to drive forward progress in key government departments. These reforms will be undertaken in conjunction with Cabinet Office-led efforts to strengthen Whitehall's commercial capability and Lord Browne's work to improve the Government's management of major projects including through an enhanced Major Projects Authority. The Government are also considering options for making more use of independent expertise in shaping their infrastructure strategy.
	The number and type of additional commercial specialists that will be recruited into Infrastructure UK will be informed by the outcomes of the infrastructure capacity plans.
	Infrastructure capacity plans will be composed and used by departments with the support of Infrastructure UK and other government partners. They will form part of the assessment of how much additional commercial expertise departments require and they will assist departments in developing their infrastructure delivery capability, including their use of commercial expertise and governance of projects.
	The following departments will develop infrastructure capacity plans by the summer: Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Transport, Department of Energy and Climate Change. The publication of outputs from infrastructure capacity plans will be announced in due course.
	The Government are currently considering various options to incorporate independent expertise in the development of their infrastructure strategy in ways that avoid costly or time-consuming institutional changes.

Iraq

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reached agreement with the Government of Iraq on the repatriation of sentenced persons; and if not, when they expect to do so.

Lord McNally: Negotiations between the United Kingdom and Iraq on a possible prisoner transfer agreement are taking place. It is not possible to say when these negotiations will be concluded.

Israel: Football Tournaments

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel regarding (1) access to tickets, and (2) free movement across borders, for football fans from the West Bank and Gaza during the UEFA under-21 football tournament in Israel in June 2013.

Baroness Warsi: We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities.
	However, we remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement. Through our embassy in Tel Aviv, we have lobbied the appropriate authorities on the issue of movement and access. We continue to work closely with the Quartet and EU partners, and to call on Israel to ease restrictions on access on all occasions not just the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Under-21 football tournament.
	We also hope that UEFA will do all that it can to ensure that when the tournament takes place there are genuine, active and successful steps to use football to promote peace and to break down barriers between Israelis and Palestinians.

Kenya

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Kenya to urge it not to implement its publicly announced plan to relocate all urban refugees to refugee camps.

Baroness Warsi: We have raised our concerns with the Kenyan Government, including by our high commissioner with the Minister of Internal Security, and encouraged them to work closely with the UN Refugee Agency to ensure any implementation of the new policy is consistent with the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

Luxembourg Compromise

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will invoke the Luxembourg Compromise to protect the City of London.

Lord Newby: A strong and stable UK financial sector that supports the wider economy requires a high quality, proportionate legislative framework, underpinned by a strong evidence base. This applies to financial services legislation developed and implemented in the European Union, where the UK Government work to ensure they promote competition, delivering a level playing field and protecting the integrity of the single market. The UK Government work closely with EU partners to protect the interests of the UK financial services sector.

Manufacturing

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the "march of the makers" forecast by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 2011 Budget is proceeding in accordance with expectation; and whether they plan further action to promote the United Kingdom manufacturing industry.

Lord Deighton: The Government are delivering an ambitious programme of structural reform to equip the UK to succeed in the global race. Reflecting these reforms, the UK was ranked eighth overall in the World Economic Forum global competitiveness report in 2012-13, up from 12th in 2010-11.
	Budget 2013 sets out further action the Government will take to support UK businesses, including reforms to achieve the Government's ambition for the UK tax system to be the most competitive in the G20, cutting corporation tax to 20 % from April 2015.
	A key part of our growth strategy is working with industry to help UK manufacturers and supply chains to innovate, invest and collaborate, for example:
	the £245 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative awards grants for collaborative projects across supply chains. The original £125 million allocation for the first two rounds is expected to create or safeguard over 18,000 jobs. The national briefing event for the two further rounds announced at Autumn Statement 2012 took place in March 2013;the £340 million Employer Ownership Pilots will provide grants to finance employer-led training and apprenticeship schemes. Apprenticeship starts in the Engineering and Manufacturing;technologies Sector Subject Area in 2011-1 2 totalled 59,480 up 21.5 % on 2010-11;the enhanced Manufacturing Advisory Service has helped over 1,000 businesses since its launch in January 2012;the £l40 million High Value Manufacturing Technology & Innovation Centre was launched in October 2011 as part of a network of seven world-leading catapult centres;government will extend the capital allowances short life asset regime for plant machinery from four years to eight years from April 2012; andthe international Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering was launched in November 2011, awarding a £1 million prize to up to three individuals responsible for a ground-breaking innovation in engineering that has been of global benefit to humanity.
	As part of their industrial strategy, the Government are developing long-term strategies in partnership with industry for sectors where the UK can be world-leading. Budget 2013 announced a £1.6 billion fund for these strategies, including £1.1 billion of government funding for an Aerospace Technology Institute, which will provide R&D support for the aerospace sector and will be match-funded by industry. Manufacturing is a key focus of the industrial strategy. The 11 sectors chosen include aerospace, automotive, nuclear, offshore wind, and oil & gas. The aerospace and nuclear sector strategies were published in March and the remaining strategies will be published later this year.
	The OBR does not publish a forecast for output disaggregated by industrial sector.

NHS: Charges

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what revenue they raised over the past five years for which information is available in respect of NHS charges for (1) prescriptions, (2) dental services, and (3) ophthalmic services; and what is their estimate of the revenue they would have received over this period had those charges been increased annually in line with inflation as measured by the Retail Prices Index.

Earl Howe: Information covering both revenue raised and estimated revenue, in respect of prescriptions, dental services and ophthalmic services, is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Actual and estimated prescription and dental charge revenue (£ million): 2006-07 to 2011-12, England 
			 £ million 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Actual prescription charge revenue 1 412 432 440 450 456 2 426 3 
			 Estimated prescription charge revenue (assuming Retail Price Index (RPI) increase from 2006-07) 4 412 439 449 452 475 458 
			 Actual dental charge revenue 1 472 538 571 597 617 637 
			 Estimated dental charge revenue (assuming RPI increase from 2006-07) 4 472 548 593 610 654 692 
		
	
	Notes:
	1 Source: Department of Health annual reports. Prescription charge figures are revenue from dispensing in the community and include revenue from Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPCs).
	2 2010-11 prescription charge figures are unaudited
	3 2011-12 prescription charge figures are estimates
	4 Estimates have been calculated using RPI figures in February from 2006 to 2011. This is the last month in which prescription charges could be adjusted to account for the latest RPI.
	The revenue increases occurring as a result of applying RPI assume no change in purchasing behaviour. For example, as single prescription charges increase, the purchase of pre-payment certificates (of three or 12 months) may become more cost-effective. These potential effects have not been considered in estimates for prescription charge revenue applying RPI.
	There is no system of National Health Service charges to patients for optical services. Rather, eligibility for NHS-funded sight tests is targeted at children, older people, those with or at risk of eye disease, and people on low incomes. Eligibility for optical vouchers is primarily targeted towards children and people on low incomes.

NHS: Charges

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the revenue that would be raised by the imposition of a £15 fee for a visit to a general practitioner, assuming the same exemptions from the charge as for prescription charges.

Earl Howe: We have not made such an estimate. The fundamental principle of the National Health Service is that it provides care free at the point of delivery, funded through general taxation. The Government set out in their document The Coalition: Our Programme for Government that they are committed to an NHS that is free at the point of use and available to everyone based on need, not the ability to pay.

NHS: Charges

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the revenue that would be raised by the imposition of a £50 a day board and lodging charge for (1) all elective surgery requiring in-patient care longer than 24 hours, and (2) for all lengths of stay as a hospital in-patient longer than 7 days, for all people aged between 18 and 85.

Earl Howe: The department has not made an estimate of revenue raised by a charge on board and lodging as described by the noble Lord. It is a key principle that NHS services should be free at the point of use, based on clinical need and not an individual's ability to pay. This has underpinned the National Health Service since its establishment in 1946. It is enshrined in the NHS constitution and reaffirmed in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Charges for NHS services can be made only where expressly provided for in legislation-for example, prescription charges.

NHS: Clinical Commissioning Groups

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government which clinical commissioning groups will not have been authorised by 31 March 2013; and which groups have had conditions attached to their authorisations.

Earl Howe: There are 211 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), all of which have now been authorised. A CCG may be authorised unconditionally or with conditions. Where a CCG has been authorised with conditions, it must meet these conditions before it is fully authorised. 106 CCGs have been authorised with no conditions. 105 have been authorised with conditions. Where a CCG is authorised with conditions, the NHS Commissioning Board will provide support to the CCG to enable it to discharge its full functions as soon as possible.
	A full list of the CCGs authorised with conditions has been placed in the Library.

NHS: Commissioning

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, notwithstanding the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 11 March (WA 30), whether they will consider making the board papers of all public organisations or committees that are associated with the commissioning of NHS and social care available through a single portal in the light of their commitment to openness and transparency.

Earl Howe: While we are committed to supporting openness and transparency at national and at local levels, we are not convinced at present that a single portal is the best method of facilitating this, particularly considering the local focus of many organisations.

NHS: Expenditure

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government which NHS trusts overspent their budgets in 2010-11 and 2011-12; and which are forecast to do so in 2012-13.

Earl Howe: National Health Service trusts that reported an operating deficit in their 2010-11 and 2011-12 annual accounts, and those that are forecasting an operating deficit at quarter three of 2012-13, are shown in the following tables.
	An operating deficit excludes any revenue impact of changes in the accounting treatment of impairments, donated assets and government grant reserves, and the impact of International Financial Reporting Standards and absorption accounting.
	The department does not collect data from NHS foundation trusts. Where an NHS trust obtains foundation trust status part way through any year, the data provided are only for the part of the year the organisation operated as an NHS trust.
	
		
			 NHS trust name 2010-11 Annual accounts operating deficit £000s 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 32,986 
			 East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust 4,704 
			 Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust 482 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 7,913 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 40,865 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 911 
			 United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 13,880 
		
	
	
		
			 NHS trust name 2011-12 Annual accounts operating deficit £000s 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 49,913 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 12,277 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 8,419 
			 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 2,156 
			 Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 19,217 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 176 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 7,534 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 65,063 
			 Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 6,056 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospitals NHS Trust 6,376 
		
	
	
		
			 NHS trust name 2012-13 Quarter 3 Forecast outturn operating deficit £000s 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 39,577 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 13,522 
			 Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 24,699 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 20,600 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 44,886 
			 University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 3,973

NHS: Fraud

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was written off in the NHS accounts over each of the last three financial years as a result of (1) fraud by NHS staff and contractors, (2) fraud by patients, and (3) the failure to collect fees from patients receiving but not entitled to free NHS treatment.

Earl Howe: Information on the amounts written off as a result of fraud by National Health Service staff and contractors and fraud by patients is not separately identifiable from the statutory accounting data collected by the department.
	Figures showing the total losses, bad debts and claims abandoned by the NHS in respect of overseas patients are provided in the following table. This does not represent total non-collection of fees from patients receiving but not entitled to free NHS treatment, which could include such items as dental and prescription fraud. Information on amounts written off in NHS accounts as a result of prescription and dental fraud is not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Bad debts and claims abandoned-overseas patients £s 
			 2011-12 £11,556,564 
			 2010-11 £13,955,733 
			 2009-10 £9,087,780 
		
	
	Source: (1) Audited summarisation schedules of primary care trusts and NHS trusts and (2) Monitor (for NHS foundation trusts).

NHS: Liverpool Care Pathway

Baroness Knight of Collingtree: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the procedure for examining the Liverpool Care Pathway, chaired by Baroness Neuberger, is an inquiry under the terms of the Inquiries Act 2005.

Earl Howe: The procedure for examining the Liverpool Care Pathway is not an inquiry under the terms of the Inquiry Act 2005. The Government have been clear from the outset that this is a review of how the Liverpool Care Pathway is used and experienced.
	However, we are taking the concerns that have been raised about the Liverpool Care Pathway extremely seriously. That is why we have set up an independent review, chaired by Baroness Neuberger, supported by a panel with a wide range of expertise and experience.

NHS: Patient Registration

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what residence qualifications are required, and whether the possession of a National Insurance number is needed, for registration as a patient with an NHS general practitioner.

Earl Howe: Under current rules, those wishing to register as a patient with a general practice for National Health Service primary medical services should approach the practice of their choice and ask to be registered. They are not required to prove residency in the United Kingdom or to hold a national insurance number.
	However, we have recently reviewed the rules and practices around charging visitors and migrants for NHS care, including primary care. On Monday 25 March, we announced that we would consult shortly on a range of options, including ending free access to primary care for all visitors and tourists, and improving how the NHS can identify, charge and recover charges where they should apply.

NHS: Primary Care Trusts

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government which primary care trusts will be abolished on 31 March 2013 holding (1) current, and (2) historic, debt; how much of such debt will be written off; and, if any of it is not, which bodies will assume responsibility for such debt in 2013-14.

Earl Howe: The NHS Operating Framework for 2012-13 stated: "It is a requirement that no PCT or SHA will plan for a deficit in 2012-13. PCTs carrying legacy debt into 2012-13 must clear it".
	Management of primary care trust (PCT) legacy debt takes place at strategic health authority cluster region level; however, the department expects it to be managed in line with the requirements laid out in the NHS Operating Framework.
	At quarter 3 of 2012-13, there is only one PCT, North Yorkshire and York PCT, forecasting a deficit of £12 million, which is an improvement of £7 million from the deficit forecast at quarter 2. The PCT reported a surplus in 2011-12; therefore, the position forecast in 2012-13 is an in-year deficit.
	The NHS Commissioning Board has advised that this deficit will be shared among successor bodies on a pro rata basis.
	The NHS Operating Framework states that clinical commissioning groups will have their own budgets from 2013-14. They will not be responsible for resolving PCT legacy debt that arose prior to 2011-12.
	The NHS Commissioning Board published its planning guidance for 2013-14 alongside the financial allocation for each clinical commissioning group. This states that any PCT deficits that do arise in 2012-13 will be the responsibility of relevant clinical commissioning groups and direct commissioners.

NHS: Private Management

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, notwithstanding the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 21 March (WA 181), whether they will now explain why there are no new proposals to allow qualified private firms to manage NHS trusts.

Earl Howe: National Health Service trusts have submitted their plans for 2013-14 to the NHS Trust Development Authority (NHS TDA) and these are being assessed. Where a NHS trust is not able to prepare a viable foundation trust solution, there are a series of discussions that need to take place before potential partners, NHS or other, can be considered. The NHS TDA Accountability Framework, which sets out the process for such transactions, will be considered by the NHS TDA board at its meeting on 4 April 2013 and published shortly thereafter.

NHS: Staff

The Earl of Listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the posts in NHS Commissioning Board local area teams have been filled by applicants with a background in immunisation; and how many have been filled by those who are experts in screening.

Earl Howe: There are a total of 241 specialist public health screening and immunisation posts in NHS Commissioning Board local area teams. The position in early March 2013 was that 124 posts had been successfully filled mainly through internal recruitment process, the remaining posts were advertised and interviews set up. A detailed breakdown of individual applicants' backgrounds is not available nationally, but local teams are undertaking reviews of skills and training needs while training programmes have been set up for people to book on to.

NHS: Staff

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Department of Health has to improve staff health and well-being and to reduce rates of sickness absence in the National Health Service.

Earl Howe: The department commissioned NHS Employers to support the National Health Service in improving staff health and well-being, and help reduce rates of sickness absence, by encouraging trusts to implement five high impact changes (HICs) developed following Dr Steven Boorman's NHS Health and Well-being: Final Report, published in 2009. The five HICs are headed: developing local evidence-based improvement plans; with strong visible leadership; supported by improved management capability; with access to better, local, high-quality accredited occupational health services; and where staff are encouraged and enabled to take more responsibility for their health.
	The current work plan includes: the identification, production, promotion and mobilisation of good practice; supporting the 60 most challenged NHS organisations that could release the biggest cash savings, with a further 45 being added; developing performance in parts of the NHS with particular challenges (eg ambulance service and mental health trusts); and supporting the development of occupational health services. Implementing the five HICs is a matter for individual NHS organisations. The department has been monitoring progress through regular contractual reviews of the support being provided to the NHS by NHS Employers.

NHS: Staff

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations the Department of Health has received on access to and provision of physiotherapy services to NHS staff.

Earl Howe: The department has received representations on access and provision of physiotherapy services to National Health Service staff from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Fit enough for Patients? An Audit of Workplace Health and Wellbeing Services for NHS Staff, published on 13 March 2013, is its review of how much progress has been made in implementing the Boorman recommendations from his report on NHS health and well-being, published in 2009.

NHS: Staff

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department of Health will ask the NHS Commissioning Board to include staff health and well-being in the next iteration of Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients.

Earl Howe: Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients is a document developed by NHS England. Its content is a matter for it.
	NHS England has advised that Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2013-14 sets out the planning framework for National Health Service commissioners. It is focused on improving outcomes and delivering the rights and pledges under the NHS constitution. In doing so it sets out that all staff should follow the values set out in the NHS constitution and also within Compassion in Practice, the Chief Nursing Officer's new vision and strategy. This includes six areas of action which include improving staff experience.
	NHS organisations, which are responsible for the health and well-being of their staff, continue to be supported by NHS Employers through a programme of work monitored under its contract with the department. This programme includes: the identification, production, promotion and mobilisation of good practice; supporting 60 trusts to develop improvement plans for reducing sickness absence and improving staff health and well-being (now extended to another 45 trusts); developing performance in parts of the NHS with particular challenges (eg ambulance services, mental health trusts) and supporting the development of occupational health services.

NHS: Staff

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the implementation of the recommendations of the Boorman review "NHS Health and Wellbeing".
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered establishing under the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention programme a dedicated workstream aimed at improving staff health and wellbeing.

Earl Howe: The department has been keeping implementation of the Boorman review "NHS Health and Wellbeing" under regular review through its contract with NHS Employers. It has been working with appropriate experts to support the National Health Service to improve staff health and wellbeing using five high impact changes (HICs) designed as a result of Boorman.
	These HICs are developing local evidence-based improvement plans, with strong visible leadership, supported by improved management capability, with access to better, local, high-quality accredited occupational health services, where staff are encouraged and enabled to take more responsibility for their health, as part of a specific workforce workstream under the department's national Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention programme (QIPP).
	Responsibility for QIPP has passed to NHS England. NHS organisations, which are responsible for the health and wellbeing of their staff, continue to be supported by NHS Employers through a programme of work monitored under its contract with the department. This programme includes: the identification, production, promotion and mobilisation of good practice; supporting 60 trusts to develop improvement plans for reducing sickness absence and improving staff health and wellbeing (now extended to another 45 trusts); developing performance in parts of the NHS with particular challenges (eg ambulance services, mental health trusts) and supporting the development of occupational health services.

NHS: Tenders

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the competitive tender of NHS services within Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS trust.

Earl Howe: The contractual arrangement of services is a matter for local National Health Service organisations.
	NHS England advises that commissioners are negotiating contracts with healthcare providers for some audiology services through the Any Qualified Provider scheme.

NHS: Underspends

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the use of the estimated underspends in the National Health Service in 2012-13, shown in table 4.22 on page 131 of the Office for Budget Responsibility's report, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published on 20 March; and whether those underspends will be used to assist local authorities in 2013-14 with difficulties in relation to adult social care.

Earl Howe: The underspend of £2.2 billion for the National Health Service in the Office for Budget Responsibility's report is a forecast. The final position for 2012-13 will be published in the Department of Health's annual report and account later in the summer.
	The department has committed to make available to NHS organisations its underspends to use in future years to help deliver high quality, sustainable health services for patients. It will be for these organisations locally to decide how to use these underspends in future years.
	The NHS will provide funding to local authorities of £859 million in 2013-14 to support adult social care services that also have a health benefit.

Northern Ireland Executive: Meetings

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 19 March (WA 143), on how many occasions, and on what dates, they met the leaders of each of the political parties within the Northern Ireland Executive, or their representatives, in the past 12 months.

Lord Newby: We do not disclose details of ministerial meetings with political representatives.
	The Secretary of State and Minister of State for Northern Ireland meet regularly with the leaders and/or representatives of the parties in the Northern Ireland Executive. These meetings occur in a variety of formats such as arranged meetings/telephone calls, at events, functions or visits. Not all of these meetings are scheduled and would therefore not he recorded.
	Ministers will continue to consider any meetings requested by party leaders and or their representatives.

Payday Loans

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Popat on 12 March (Official Report, col. 135), in what circumstances it would be appropriate for the Financial Conduct Authority to cap the interest rates demanded by payday lenders.

Lord Deighton: The Financial Services Act 2012 gives the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the power to make rules to cap the cost and duration of credit agreements, once it takes on responsibility for consumer credit regulation in April 2014. The FCA may make rules under this power where it considers it necessary or expedient to advance one or more of the FCA's operational objectives. The FCA's operational objectives are: securing an appropriate degree of protection for consumers; protecting and enhancing the integrity of the UK financial system; and promoting effective competition in the interests of consumers in financial services markets.

Personal Social Services: Expenditure

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the expenditure, at constant prices, of the Department of Health on personal social services, from 1996-97 to their forecast for 2012-13; and what was the percentage change each year from the previous year.

Earl Howe: Data on local authority expenditure on personal social services for adults are collected and published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).
	The most up-to-date information is found in the publication Personal Social Services: Expenditure and Unit Costs-England 2011-12 and its supporting documentation, which is available on the HSCIC website: www.ic.nhs.uk/searchcatalogue?productid=10667& topics=1%2fSocial+care%2fSocial+care+expenditure& sort=Relevance&size=10&page=1#top.

Police and Crime

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the various strata of policing and crime oversight; and at what level parliamentarians should seek to make representations on issues of discipline or delivery of justice within a reasonable timescale.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) are established in law in England and Wales within the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. As a result, the public accountability for the delivery and performance of the police service is placed into the hands of the PCC on behalf of their electorate. The PCC draws on their mandate to set and shape the strategic objectives of their force area in consultation with the chief constable. The PCC is accountable to the electorate; the chief constable is accountable to their PCC. A police and crime panel within each force area is empowered to maintain a regular check and balance on the performance of the PCC in that context.
	The Home Secretary remains ultimately accountable to Parliament and charged with ensuring the maintenance of the Queen's peace within all force areas, safeguarding the public and protecting our national borders and security. The Home Secretary has reserved powers and legislative tools that enable intervention and direction if it is determined by the Home Secretary that such action is necessary in order to prevent or mitigate risk to the public or national security.

Police: College of Policing

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the process for considering applications for the appointment of members of the Board of the College of Policing.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government where and when the vacancies for the Board of the College of Policing were advertised; and what assessment they have made of the skills needed to discharge the role.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The composition of the board of the College of Policing was developed with following regular dialogue with senior policing partners. It was arrived at to ensure an appropriate balance of skills and experience, combining operational policing expertise and academic and broader external perspectives to represent the public interest.
	The Home Secretary, as sole member (owner) of the company that forms the College of Policing, appoints directors to the board.
	The role of non-executive chair was advertised in the national press in late July 2012, with support from an executive search agency. The role of chief executive was advertised in Police Professional and the Association of Chief Police Officers intranet in September 2012. For each role a selection panel shortlisted and interviewed candidates against a person specification. The Home Secretary and the Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice interviewed those candidates considered by the panel to have met the required standard, before the Home Secretary made her selection.
	The other roles on the board were not advertised. A range of policing experts were nominated by the relevant policing bodies, against the criteria set out for the role. In addition to these nominations, the Home Secretary identified three individuals whom she felt had the relevant skills and experience to provide an external independent perspective and invited them to become directors on the board of the college.
	Most of the nominations have now been received and the process for the member to confirm and appoint nominees is underway.

Post Office: Closures

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of planned post office closures, whether they have plans to protect the pay and jobs of post office staff.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: There is no programme of post office closures. The Government have committed to maintaining a post office network of at least 11,500 branches and continue to require Post Office Ltd to meet the strict access criteria that see, for example, 99% of the national population living within three miles of a post office outlet. At the end of December 2012, there were 11,784 branches that were open and trading. Of these, 373 are Crown post office branches, which are directly operated by Post Office Ltd and its employees. The Crown network of 373 branches is heavily loss making (losing £46 million in 2011-12) and this is not sustainable. It is important that Post Office Ltd eradicates these losses by March 2015. In meeting this policy requirement, Post Office Ltd is looking for franchise partners to continue post office services in 70 locations. This is not a closure programme and post office services will be retained in all cases and all changes are subject to public consultation. Furthermore, Post Office Ltd will be putting significant investment into the remaining Crown network.
	Contractual matters between Post Office Ltd and its employees are a matter for the senior management of Post Office Ltd, its employees, and the trade unions which represent them. The Government, as shareholder, play no role in these matters. However, I understand that Post Office Ltd has made a pay offer worth £3,400 to every Crown office employee over the next three years, subject to the Crown network meeting the revenue targets that will see it break even by March 2015.

Prisons: Meat

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether meat from animals slaughtered in New Zealand is served to inmates in HM prisons.

Lord McNally: Meat from animals slaughtered in New Zealand has been supplied to the National Offender Management Service since the start of the new catering contract in October 2012.

Prisons: Strip Searches

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord McNally on 18 March 2013 (WA 126), why the routine strip-searching of women in prisons was ended in 2009.

Lord McNally: Routine full searches (previously known as strip searches) of women prisoners were ended in 2008 following a review of the National Offender Management Service policy on full searching of women. This review was conducted in light of the Gender Equality Duty introduced in 2007 and Baroness Corston's 2007 report Review of Women with Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System. The report identified the complex physical, psychological and social needs of women prisoners and made 43 recommendations, one of which was to reduce the number of full searches of women prisoners. The decision to accept this recommendation was influenced by the ease with which women prisoners can conceal illicit items internally, thereby making full searches for this group of prisoners far less effective.

Public Health

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to the implications of the NHS Mandate, what assessment they have made of any national variations in how organised new public health systems are as they start to take on their new public health responsibilities.

Earl Howe: From 1 April 2013, responsibility for most public health provision has moved to local government, which will take the lead for improving health, co-ordinating efforts to protect health and ensuring health services promote health.
	Local government led a stock-take of local authority preparedness in October 2012, followed by a further progress report in January this year. Since October it was clear that there has been significant progress at national and local level to achieve a successful and safe transfer of public health to local government and this has continued. The department and the new public health delivery agency, Public Health England, have put in place arrangements to provide continuity for transition into the new system with capability to respond to any outstanding issues.
	The National Health Service has agreed to exercise certain public health functions on behalf of the Secretary of State where national delivery and integration with the primary care system will ensure better delivery. These include national screening and immunisation programmes, children's public health services and those for people in custody, and sexual assault referrals.

Quangos

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the quangos listed in October 2010 for complete abolition or for the transfer of functions to another body they have decided to retain; which bodies they have decided to retain; and what percentage of the total announced for abolition at that time such bodies represent.

Lord Newby: This Government have carried out the biggest reform of public bodies in a generation. We acted swiftly to close down unnecessary public bodies and ensure that those that remain are fit to deliver public services efficiently and effectively.
	Of the list which in October 2010 were announced for abolition, or to have their functions transferred, departments have since decided to retain 2% or six bodies:
	Youth Justice Board for England and Wales;Chief Coroner of England and Wales/Office of the Chief Coroner;UK Sport and Sport England, which will not merge but will undergo a joint review in 2014-15; andHuman Tissue Authority and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which are now subject to a joint independent review.
	To date, we have reduced the total number of public bodies by 230, with 145 being abolished altogether and 150 being merged into fewer than 70 bodies.

Railways: Franchises

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, when evaluating the bids received for the franchise for the East Coast Main Line, they will compare those with the financial performance of the existing operator to ensure that the taxpayer receives the best value.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: As with all franchise competitions, the Department for Transport will use base data, including financials, from the incumbent operator in the development of tools that inform its evaluation of the competition. The full evaluation criteria will be published as part of the invitation to tender.

Railways: Rolling Stock

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Earl Attlee on 26 March, what steps they will take to enable sufficient new rolling stock to be available when the new franchising contracts are let, in the light of the decision "to negotiate further new services and more capacity in all new franchising contracts".

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Rolling stock deployment is a matter for the train operators with the Government's role primarily focused on ensuring that this represents value for money when the taxpayer's interest is involved.
	It is therefore for franchise bidders to determine the rolling stock requirements for routes within the franchise area and to work with the rolling stock owning groups to make decisions on investment in both new and existing rolling stock.
	The Department for Transport is currently investing in rolling stock for the Thameslink and Inter City Express programmes. These procurements will significantly increase the national fleet size, enabling the department's investment strategy requirements to be met.

Railways: Stations

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the progress of Network Rail's plans to build a new ticket office, waiting room and associated lavatory facilities at Templecombe Station, Somerset.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The delivery of this scheme is the responsibility of the operator, Stagecoach South West Trains.
	However, we can confirm that the planned package of work for Templecombe station is indeed to provide a new waiting room, ticket office and public lavatory, and we have been advised that the works will begin in June this year and will take approximately 12 weeks to complete.

Roads: A14

Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish detailed plans for the bypass to the south of Huntingdon, between the area near Trinity Foot and the A1 at both ends tying in with the existing A14, as announced in the Department for Transport's statement on "Innovative new proposals for A14 corridor" published on 18 July 2012; and when they intend to begin public consultation on those plans.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish detailed plans for tolling 20 miles of the "enhanced A14" as announced in the Department for Transport's statement on "Innovative new proposals for A14 corridor" published on 18 July 2012; and when they intend to begin public consultation on those plans.

Lord Newby: The Highways Agency is engaging key stakeholders and planning consultation in line with the programme to submit a development consent order application by summer 2014. We have said previously that construction work on the scheme could start in 2018, subject to the completion of statutory processes, and we are looking at opportunities to bring forward an earlier start date.

Schools: Managing Medicines

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect their guidance Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings will next be updated.

Lord Nash: The guidance is currently undergoing a review and it has not yet been determined when it will be available for distribution.

Schools: Pupil Premium

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that local authorities deliver pupil premium funding to pupils attending (1) non-maintained special schools, and (2) independent schools specially organised to make special educational provision for students with special educational needs.

Lord Nash: The pupil premium is allocated for pupils who are currently eligible or who have been eligible in the past six years for free school meals, children who have been continuously looked after for at least six months, and children whose parents are serving in the Armed Forces.
	In the financial year 2012-13, the pupil premium was allocated at a rate of £623 per pupil and the service child premium was allocated at a rate of £250 per pupil. The pupil premium will increase to £900 per pupil and the service child premium will increase to £300 per pupil in the 2013-14 financial year.
	Pupil premium grant is allocated to each local authority in respect of eligible pupils in maintained special schools, pupil referral units (PRUs) and alternative provision (ie attending schools not maintained by the authority for which the authority is paying full tuition fees, plus all pupils educated otherwise than in schools under arrangements made by the authority).
	Pupil premium grant in respect of pupils in these settings can be allocated to the setting where the child is being educated or held by the local authority to spend specifically on additional education support to raise the pupil's standard of attainment.

Search and Rescue Helicopter Service

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many, and what type of, helicopters will be based in Northern Ireland when Bristow Group assumes responsibility for search and rescue services in the United Kingdom.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The recent announcement on the future of search and rescue helicopters will not change the situation in Northern Ireland. There will continue not to be a base in Northern Ireland. Bases will be strategically situated near areas of high SAR incident rates to ensure comprehensive coverage of the UK search and rescue region.
	There is a reciprocal working arrangement between the UK and the Republic of Ireland for search and rescue helicopter coverage.

Smoking

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the reported rise in the number of children between the ages of 11 and 15 who smoke.

Earl Howe: The Government take seriously the need to reduce the take-up of smoking by young people and to help those that do smoke to stop. The Government's comprehensive, evidence-based strategy to reduce tobacco use in England over the years until 2015 is set out in Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England, published in March 2011.
	One of three national ambitions in the tobacco control plan, to be achieved by 2015, is to focus on reducing smoking prevalence among children and young people. The plan sets out a range of initiatives to achieve this ambition which apply at national level across England. Tobacco sales from vending machines stopped on 1 October 2011, so removing an easily accessible and often unsupervised source of under-age sales of cigarettes. Since 6 April 2012, permanent, eye-catching displays of tobacco products, which evidence shows can promote smoking by young people, came to an end in supermarkets and other large stores, and will stop in all other shops in April 2015. In addition, a number of national marketing campaigns have targeted behaviour around smoking, such as the effect on children of second-hand smoke from smoking in homes and cars.

Syria

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 7 February concerning military action in Syria (WA 92), whether providing arms to the insurgency would be subject to a debate in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords.

Baroness Warsi: The Government recognise the crucial role that Parliament plays in scrutinising government decisions. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has demonstrated the Government's commitment to keeping Parliament informed by delivering eight Oral Statements to the House of Commons on our Syria policy since the uprising began.
	We will consult Parliament appropriately about future developments in our policy, including explaining as necessary the legal basis for any actions taken. We will act in accordance with international and domestic law in respect of any action the Government take.

Syria

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments by the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, on 27 February that victory for rebels in the Syrian war could spark sectarian violence in Iraq and Lebanon.

Baroness Warsi: We are concerned that the crisis in Syria presents a risk of regional spillover, which is one of the reasons why we want to see an end to the conflict as soon as possible. The violence has already impacted on neighbouring countries, most recently through an aerial attack by the Syrian regime on Lebanon earlier this month, which we strongly condemned. We are working with our partners in the region and in the international community to increase our efforts to bring an end to the violence in Syria and reduce the risks to the region.

Syria

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the letter sent on 21 March by the Foreign Secretary and the French Foreign Minister to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, arguing that supplying weapons to the Syrian rebels would bring the Assad regime to the negotiating table, their policy that negotiations would not take place until President Bashar al Assad had left office has now changed.

Lord Newby: The UK's policy on Syria remains clear-an end to the violence and a political transition to a more democratic Syria. Our position on President Assad remains unchanged-he has lost legitimacy and should step aside in the interests of the Syrian people. We want to see a negotiated political settlement that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people. But the regime is unlikely to engage meaningfully in negotiations in the absence of significant pressure. That is why we have stepped up our assistance to the opposition and why we are considering whether there should be further changes to the EU arms embargo. We have taken no decision at present to send arms to anyone in Syria.

Taxation: Alcohol

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimates HM Revenue and Customs has made of any (1) increase in revenue from, and (2) fall in consumption of, (a) beer and cider, (b) wines, and (c) spirits, in each of the years 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, resulting from an increase in taxation of each of those products respectively of (i) 10%, (ii) 20%, and (iii) 30%, over and above existing planned increases.

Lord Deighton: An indication of the effect on revenue and consumption of a 1% increase in duty in 2014-15 on all alcoholic drinks is presented below, taken from HMRC's published ready reckoners.
	
		
			  2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 
			  80 85 85 
			 Exchequer Impact (£m) 
			  2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 
			 Beer -138.7 -141.9 -145.6 
			 Spirits -7.2 -7.6 -8.1 
			 Alcopops -0.2 -0.2 -0.2 
			 Cider -16.6 -17.5 -18.5 
			 Wine -4.9 -5.3 -5.7 
		
	
	Consumption impact: Quantities Product (000 hectolitre)
	The effect of a 1% increase in duties cannot be used directly to derive the effects of a 10%, 20% or 30% increase. However, a proportional estimate is still a broadly reasonable assumption over this level of duty change.
	Increased duties are passed through as higher retail prices. Higher duties are thus estimated to reduce alcohol consumption.

Taxation: Inheritance Tax

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 21 March (HL6091), what the value of small gift exemption for inheritance tax of £250 per year per donee would be in 2013 if it had been uprated for inflation as measured by Retail Prices Index from 1980, when it was first introduced under the predecessor tax, estate duty and capital transfer tax.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 21 March (HL6091), whether the specific guidance on recording gifts gives details of when hospitality should be included in the value of the small gift exemption of £250 for Inheritance Tax.

Lord Deighton: If the £250 annual limit had been uprated from 1980 in line with the retail prices index it would currently stand at £1,010.
	The HMRC website guidance on keeping records for inheritance tax purposes does not give details of when hospitality should be included as part of the small gifts exemption. The treatment of hospitality will depend on the facts and circumstances of each case.

Taxation: Tobacco and Alcohol

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much revenue was raised from duties on (1) tobacco products, and (2) alcoholic drinks, over the past five years for which information is available; and what proportion of the NHS budget for those years each of those figures represents.

Lord Deighton: The following table presents the revenue raised from duties on tobacco and alcohol products over the past five years, for which information is available.
	
		
			 Financial Year Alcohol Duty Revenue (£m) Tobacco Duty Revenue (£m) 
			 2007-08 8,302 8,094 
			 2008-09 8,470 8,219 
			 2009-10 9,012 8,813 
			 2010-11 9,397 9,144 
			 2011-12 10,036 9,551 
		
	
	All taxes received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are paid into the Consolidated Fund, the Government's current account. As such, all taxes, including alcohol and tobacco duty are paid into this fund and are not earmarked or hypothecated for any particular purpose or spending programme.
	The revenue figures set out here are each equivalent to approximately 9-10% of NHS spending for the relevant year (based on the February 2013 National Statistics Public Expenditure Outturn).

Telecommunications: Contracts

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any restrictions have been placed on the granting of contracts to Huawei Corporation and its associates where the contracts were judged to have high national security consequences.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: As with a number of other vendors, the Government have arrangements with Huawei covering the use of its products within the UK. Through Huawei's Cyber Security Evaluation Centre, CESG (Communications- Electronics Security Group), the UK's National Technical Authority (NTA), works with Huawei to ensure that Huawei equipment deployed to UK telecommunications networks meet UK security standards. It is part of CESG's role as the NTA to work with telecoms vendors operating within the UK market.

Trading Standards

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote joint operations between local police forces and trading standards teams to tackle failings in trading standards services.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many scheduled trading standards inspections there were in England and Wales in (1) 2009-10, (2) 2010-11, and (3) 2011-12.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of trainee or student trading standards officer posts available in England and Wales in (1) 2009-10, (2) 2010-11, and (3) 2011-12.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not hold this information. Officials in the department have been advised that the information requested is not held by either the Department for Communities and Local Government or the Home Office, with any information being held at a local level. Local government is responsible for monitoring local trading standards activity, including the number of inspections. It is also responsible for determining the number of trainee and student trading standards officer posts it makes available. Where there are failings in trading standards services, it is for local government to determine what action to take, including strategic partnerships with local police forces.
	As part of the drive to make local government more transparent and accountable to local people, the Department for Communities and Local Government has asked all local councils and fire and rescue authorities in England to publish spending information over £500 online and has provided guidance. Guidance has also been provided on reporting performance and is available at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/making-local-councils-more-transparent-and-accountable-to-local-people

United Arab Emirates

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of the United Arab Emirates concerning the location and the state of health of Mr Ahmed Ghaith al-Suweidi and his family, following his arrest in 2012.

Baroness Warsi: We understand Mr Ahmed Ghaith al-Suweidi was arrested in March 2012. He has recently appeared in court as one of the 94 detainees being tried on national security grounds.
	As the Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), said when he visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in November 2012, no issue is off limits in our relationship. Where we have human rights concerns we make these clear to the Emirati authorities as part of our broader strategic engagement. We have raised with the UAE at ministerial level the importance we attach to observing international human rights standards and will continue to do so. We have also specifically raised the issue of the detainees with the UAE authorities.

Universal Credit

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many claimants in Tower Hamlets they expect to be migrated to universal credit between October 2013 and March 2014.

Lord Freud: Claims to universal credit start in our Pathfinder from 29 April 2013. Pathfinder will focus on new single unemployed people, with or without rented housing costs, and will replace means-tested jobseeker's allowance for this group of claimants. If these claimants then move into work, they will be eligible to claim universal credit, not working tax credit.
	Universal credit will then progressively roll out in a managed way across the country from October 2013. This will ultimately include all claims from people both in and out of work, with everyone, including people in Tower Hamlets, eventually claiming the new benefit by 2017.

Visas

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 14 March (WA 94), whether they will review the decision not to charge an annual fee to employers sponsoring migrant labour under tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system; and whether the current income from sponsor licences covers the cost of maintaining the register, monitoring its operation and sponsor compliance.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There are no annual fees for sponsors under tiers 2 and 5 because the sponsor licence is paid for at application, and the licence is valid for four years. Sponsors are also required to pay separately for every certificate of sponsorship they issue under tiers 2 and 5.
	We review fees annually and there are no current plans to change the payment structure or process for sponsor licensing under tiers 2 and 5.
	Income from sponsor licences partially covers the cost of providing the sponsorship regime, with the remainder made up from fees for certificates of sponsorship and other fees income.

Visas

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 14 March (WA 94) whether they will publish annually the number of immigrants sponsored by each of the sponsoring employers registered under tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system; whether such figures are maintained and available on application; and what were the numbers so sponsored overall in the last three years.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There are currently no plans to publish data relating to individual sponsoring employers. However, quarterly statistics are kept under review, taking into account the needs of users and burdens on suppliers and producers, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. There was a total of 26,179 employers on the tier 2 and tier 5 register on 2 January 2013.
	The numbers of certificates of sponsorship used to support an entry clearance or extension of stay application for the last three years are shown in the table below.
	
		
			 Applications from outside the UK for entry clearance visas for work, using certificates of sponsorship from employers 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 *Total 79,027 77,740 81,036 
			 of which
			 Tier 2 42,433 39,508 40,740 
			 Tier 5 36,594 38,232 40,296 
		
	
	
		
			 Applications from within the UK for extensions of stay for work using certificates of sponsorship from employers 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 *Total 20,931 18,065 28,212 
			 of which
			 Tier 2 20,621 17,744 27,815 
			 Tier 5 310 321 397 
		
	
	Note: individuals may be counted more than once e.g. if they are sponsored for an entry clearance visa and subsequently sponsored for an extension, or if they are sponsored on more than one occasion
	Source: Immigration Statistics October to December 2012 tables cs.02 and cs.03

Youth Enterprise Schemes

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the research carried out by the Royal Society of Arts suggesting that youth enterprise schemes are poorly conceived and endorse outdated approaches to business.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government welcome the research. We must, however, acknowledge the fact that the sample size was very small (c.30). It is too early to draw any major conclusions from this report. BIS is working with the Royal Society of Arts on the next phase of this research to build on our understanding of how youth enterprise schemes are perceived.